Forty applicants for Town Administrator position
Published on November 22nd, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - The town's Board of Selectmen recently combed through more than 40 resumes received from candidates vying for Town Administrator Ron Florino's soon-to-be vacated post.
According to various board members, each Selectman chose 10 of the resumes he found most attractive and then compared notes with his counterparts. Those applicants who were selected multiple times were then placed on the fast-track for an initial round of interviews.
In recent months, advertisements seeking a replacement for Florino have been placed in multiple newspapers and government publications, such as Massachusetts' Municipal Association's (MMA) The Beacon.
According to those postings, all candidates hoping to sit in Town Hall's third-floor corner office must have earned at least a bachelor's degree, with an MPA or MBA preferred.
The applicants must also have five years of paid experience as a public sector manager, or a comparable administrative management post in the private sector. The new Town Administrator will be offered a starting salary between $90,000 to $110,000.
"Each Selectman picked 10 [people] that they thought were worthy of an interview. And the ones who got the most votes will probably get interviewed. So it's moving along," explained Selectman Paul Rotondi.
"We hope to get started tomorrow," the rookie Selectman added, referring to plans to begin interviewing at this Tuesday's regularly scheduled meeting. "I guess the consensus is that we'd like to see a new Town Administrator as quickly as possible."
According to Selectman John DePinto, the board will likely convene several rounds of initial interviews with the various candidates before finalists are chosen. Once the pool of applicants is narrowed down to those select few, interviews would be conducted in open-session, as is required by the Mass. Open Meeting law.
Although DePinto and at least one other Selectman shared Rotondi's view that Florino's replacement should be in office as quickly as possible - an informal February to April timetable was cited - the elected officials appear to have differing viewpoints about what they are primarily seeking in a new Town Administrator.
"I'm looking for someone who can run the town without coming to us every time they need to make a decision," said DePinto. "I don't like to micro-manage, and the Town Administrator is more attuned to the day-to-day operations of the town."
"I would also like to see someone with management experience in the private sector, but I don't know if that can work. Personally, I think we need to change the way we do things," the first-term Selectman added.
While DePinto would like to see someone with experience in the private sector - although he worries that someone without a government background would find him or herself lost in Town Hall - Rotondi readily dismissed resumes from candidates lacking time in public-sector management.
According to Selectman George Seibold, his priorities have focussed upon someone with solid financial experience, regardless of whether in public or private business.
But Seibold is also eyeing candidates from out of town, and ones who have no ties with Stoneham politics in general. Explaining his position, the Selectman believes that people with Stoneham connections may find it more difficult to take a tough stance on issues such as collective bargaining - all of the town's unions are currently working without a contract.
"This has nothing to do with Ron," Seibold stressed, referring to the current Town Administrator, a Stoneham native. "I think he's done a great job given what he got handed to him. He got Stoneham through some of the toughest years."
"But to be honest with you, I'm looking for someone from out of town. That way, he or she won't have any ties with any groups or have any personal agendas," the Selectman added.
Last summer, after a two-year stint of service in the Town Administrator office, Florino announced that he would be stepping down, citing his wish to spend more time with family.
The veteran town official, who wore multiple hats while in the corner office, including serving as both Town Administrator and Town Accountant for almost a year, had previously run the financial office for close to two decades.
Earlier this fall, the Selectmen announced that Florino would resume his duties as Town Accountant, with Ron Castignetti, who currently holds that post, switching to a role as Town Auditor and Assistant Town Accountant.
Although Florino had planned on making his resignation official on July 1, the start of FY'08, the Selectmen agreed to commence the search for his replacement immediately, once they agreed to allow him to return to the financial office.
According to various Selectmen, they will be relying heavily on Florino in the coming months, not only as a teacher to the incoming Town Administrator during the transition, but also as a key financial advisor when budget deliberations for another cash-strapped fiscal year commence.
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