Search moving forward for new police chief
Published on June 20th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The Stoneham Police Chief Search Committee is currently sifting through applications for the now-vacant Stoneham Police Chief position following the retirement of Herb Moore from the Police Department last month.
With the a new chief expected to be hired by the end of the summer, the Town of Stoneham will have hired a new Town Administrator, Fire Chief, Police Chief, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent of Schools, High School Principal, Middle School Principal within the last 12 months - a remarkable and turnover within the small town.
The Committee, consisting of Human Resources Coordinator Betty Luciano, Reading Police Chief James Cormier, Assistant Town Treasurer Ron Florino and Stoneham Police Sgt. Jim McIntyre is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 26 and begin to discuss the 19 applications currently in receipt at Town Hall.
The Selectmen voted last week, without voicing a reason, to re-open the application process until the first day of the search committee's scheduled meeting on June 26.
"The application process is still open and we're still accepting applicants," said Luciano, who is heading the search committee and has posted the opening online as well as on the local cable channel. "We've had some very thorough, very impressive applications from people all the way from Virginia to Boston...there is a lot of paperwork to go through with all of the certifications and commendations that each applicant has.
"We've been very impressed with the applicants thus far," added Luciano. "We have a very good search committee that we've put together, and, once everyone is through with vacations, we'll be full steam ahead with narrowing down the applicants to about 3-5 finalists that we'll have in for interviews."
According to sources familiar with the applications, there wasn't a single application filed from a current member of the Stoneham Police Department and there were "one or two" Stoneham residents that have currently applied for the position.
"The Police Department really needs someone with a strong knowledge of numbers and budgets to take over the position," said a Stoneham Police source. "The policing side of things is being taken care of pretty efficiently, but getting as much bang for the buck fiscally is really what's needed out of the next chief."
In the interim, Stoneham Lt. Rick McCarthy has been serving as Acting Police Chief.
Moore, who stepped down from the post after suffering a stroke, served less than a year as the replacement for veteran Chief Gregory O'Keefe, who departed the town under somewhat controversial circumstances when contract negotiations between him and the Selectmen broke down.
According to Town Administrator David Ragucci, a previous application window for Moore's replacement had already expired nearly two-weeks before last Tuesday's Selectmen meeting.
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