Reading, MA — The Ad Hoc Town Manager Screening Committee began its work on Wednesday by selecting Select Board member Anne Landry as its chair by a 7-0 vote. Select Board chair Karen Herrick was selected as secretary by the same vote.
Community Paradigm Associates consultant Bernie Lynch outlined the process used to get the search to this point. This included learning about the community, producing a position profile, and advertising that profile on municipal professional forums. “It’s a very competitive market,” Lynch shared. “There is a generational shift occurring in municipal leadership.”
Lynch illustrated this by pointing out that 2/3 of the municipalities in Massachusetts have searched for new leadership in the last five years. “You don’t have quite the pool [of candidates] you had in the past,” Lynch continued.
Despite this, Lynch confirmed that Reading had received twenty-three candidate resumes. The list of potential candidates range from those with no municipal experience to several “very qualified” town managers and assistant town managers from across the country. Lynch also highlighted that there are a good number of women in the candidate pool and persons of color.
After reviewing the requirements of open meeting law and candidate confidentiality, the Ad Hoc Town Manager Screening Committee adjourned to executive session to consider candidates at 7:30 pm.
