Selectmen Start Town Manager Search Process

STOUGHTON, MA — The selectmen took the first steps of the town manager search Tuesday night.

The board voted to direct Procurement Officer Maureen Doherty to make a request for proposals for a town manager consultant and draft questions to ask the board about the RFP which will be answered in open session.

The board is now tasked with deciding what they want in a consultant. In other town manager searches, the consultant is often tasked with holding community forums, creating the job description, performing background checks, and screening candidates. It will be up to the board to decide what they want the consultant to do.

All candidates who meet the minimum requirements will move on to the interview process, which may be by a separate interview committee. Any candidates will be done in open session, which has proven to be successful in past searches.

“When we’ve hired people or firms, (people) like the engagement they like being able to watch it on SMAC and see who you’ve chosen and what the questions were,” Doherty told the selectmen.

Selectman Michael Sullivan asked about the use of the Collins Center, which is affiliated with UMass Boston. If the town chose to go forward with the group, an RFP would not be necessary due to their status as a public organization.

“You certainly could do that but there are some great firms that are out there,” Doherty said. “I think you would be limiting yourself just to choose this firm.”

Town Engineer Marc Tisdale has been the interim town manager since the start of the year. Former Selectman Steve Anastos also served in the role for a few months last year.

Image: File Photo