LIMESTONE, Maine — After an executive session on March 28, selectmen created a five member committee to aid in the search for Limestone’s new town manager.
According to Limestone Police Chief and Interim Town Manager Stacey Mahan, the committee consists of three residents and two selectmen. The public members are Gary O’Neal, Paul Poitras, and Joe McLaughlin. The selectmen on the committee are Fred Pelletier and Greg Ward.
Mahan said the committee’s first meeting was held Saturday. Since the group’s only task is to locate a new manager, and therefore look through resumes and employment histories, their meetings will not be open to the public, he said.
The interim manager has given each committee member a packet that includes a confidentiality agreement to ensure he does not discuss potential applicants with other members of the public.
“The confidentiality agreement is really there for the sake of fairness to the applicants,” Mahan said. “Sometimes they’re working at other jobs, and you don’t want it spread around that they’re looking for another job, as it could get back to their employer.”
With the town’s last manager being fired in late 2017 after roughly two months on the job, selectmen formed the committee in an effort to ensure the next manager is a better fit for Limestone.
Mahan said background checks will be conducted for promising applicants, and that it’s important to give committee members time to thoroughly vet the applicants before coming together with a final decision.
“I’ve been here [as interim town manager] since December and I’m helping as much as I can,” Mahan said.
Select Board members also discussed a personnel matter in executive session with the town’s attorney. They voted, after returning to open session, to let the town’s lawyer make a settlement offer to a former employee.
Mahan said he could not say anything more about the personnel matter or settlement offer at this time.
“That was the vote, and consensus, per recommendation of the town attorney,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”
