HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-06-18-TMSSC-min TOWN MANAGER SEARCH SCREENING COMMITTEE MEETING (TMSSC)
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Minutes
Attendees: Sara Bothwell Allen, Bob Creech, Jill Hai - Chair, Heather Hartshorn, Vineeta
Kumar, Bob Mandeville, Janet Perry, Mark Sandeen, Helen Yang, Bob Mercier—MRI.
The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:01.
Mr. Mercier provided an update on the recruitment to date. The posting went live on June 6 in
multiple sources, including the ICMA and all its related sub and affinity groups, MMA,
MassLive at the State House, other New England state leagues. Multiple applications have
already been received, as well as inquiries from other potential applicants; expectation of
additional applicants by deadline. He also reviewed other communities with Town Manager
openings, current or expected, which may provide competition for our recruitment.
The Committee reviewed topics raised in the community listening sessions and meetings.
The Chair reviewed Open Meeting Law Executive Session applicability to search screening
committee discussions, based on guidance from Town Counsel.
The committee reviewed potential topics for both essay and interview questions and held a
general discussion on how best to obtain information from candidates which addresses the
community input and identified skills.
A potential schedule was established as follows:
• By June 28 - Chair to distribute potential/past questions for essays/interviews
• July 8 —Application deadline (general agreement that this is not inviolate)
• July 10- 7pm-9pm Committee meeting
o MRI will bring application list, identifying all qualified applicants and any
reasons for disqualification of others. Committee will determine which applicants
it would like to promote to the next stage (essay and work product).
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
o Members will bring top three choices for essay questions and top five questions
for interviews. Mr. Sandeen will gather suggested questions from other town
committee chairs. (Ms Hai will investigate having the TMSSC members submit
their questions in advance to either MRI or the Select Board office, to produce a
top-level list for discussion).
o TMSSC will select essay questions to be sent to selected applicants.
• July 12-19 —MRI to hold telephone interviews with selected candidates.
• July 19 —essay question and work product requests sent to remaining selected candidates
• July 19-29 TMSSC members to individually review all submitted application materials
for candidates who were advanced to the next stage.
• July 29 Essay responses and work product submissions due.
• July 30-August 7 TMSSC members to review work product and essay responses
individually
• August 7- 7pm-9pm committee meeting to discuss full applicant packets and determine
which applicants to invite for interviews. [EXECUTIVE SESSION]
• August 22 (potentially all day) TMSSC to interview candidates in person and select
which to promote to finalists [EXECUTIVE SESSION]
• Week of August 26 (tentatively August 28) Select Board interviews. [PUBLIC
MEETING]
Meeting was adjourned at 8:32