Selectmen Approve Town Administrator Search Committee, Invite Public to Participate

The Burlington Board of Selectmen furthered the ongoing process to find a new Town Administrator during the meeting on Monday, Dec. 12.

The search began following current Town Administrator at the end of May of next year.

To find a qualified replacement, the board has set up a series of search measures. The first is that the town will hire a professional search company to help vet candidates. The second, discussed at length during this meeting, is to create a committee of residents to help in coming up with desirable requirements, interviewing potential candidates and making recommendations for the board's final consideration.

Mercier said he believes inviting members of the community will be a benefit to the search process.

"I've been through a couple of search processes and when you ask people to participate, it generates interest," he said. "This may be the one and only contribution a person makes to the town and they will feel proud of helping in this important way. Also, Burlington being Burlington, I'm certain we can find people of high caliber."

Next Monday the board will interview the two companies that submitted bids, each with proposals around the expected $20,000 mark, during a special meeting at 6 p.m. in the main hearing room at Town Hall.

As for the search committee of residents, the Board appointed five pre-selected members during the meeting. On top of that, members are asking for three residents who do not work for the town and have never held an elected position to fill the rest of the committee. Two of these members will have voting positions and one will be an alternate for the committee.

The five appointed members are:

• Financial: Paul Sagarino, Burlington Town Accountant
• Business/Town Meeting: David Icken, General Manager of Capital Grille
• Schools: Dr. Eric Conti, Superintendent of Schools
• Town Committee: Brad Bond, Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee
• Town Operations: John Sanchez, Superintendent of Public Works

Anyone who doesn't work for the town and who has never held an elected position (including Town Meeting) interested in filling one of the three other spots is invited to apply. Prepare a letter of intent, listing why you are interested in joining the search committee, a bit on your background and what expertise you will bring to the committee, and drop it off at the Selectmen office at . You can also send the same to selectmen@burlmass.org.

"If you are a taxpayer and voter and feel that now is the time to do something as important as finding a new Town Administrator, let us know," Chairman of the Board Walter Zenkin said.