LIMESTONE, Maine — The town has been without a public works director for over two months, since former director William Thibodeau resigned on Jan. 7 and then a candidate turned down the job offer last month.
Select Board Chairman Tom Albert emphasized the importance of hiring a new candidate as soon as possible during a March 28 board meeting
“Where am I at with public works?” Albert asked Interim Town Manager Stacey Mahan. “How many applications do I have? I’ve got to get past where I am right now.”
Mahan told Albert that one candidate had submitted a paper application and two people had applied through the town’s Facebook page, but they have “no experience whatsoever.”
Limestone Economic Development Coordinator Dennis McCartney suggested utilizing job recruiting websites ZipRecruiter and Indeed, and Select Board member Melissa Devoe asked if the town utilizes the career center in Presque Isle.
“I don’t think we have anything at the Career Center,” Mahan said. “I can check.”
Albert said his primary concern is that he’s not seeing any forward movement in the search.
“No disrespect to you,” he said to Mahan, “but you’re wearing a lot of hats right now. And I see the inmates running the asylum, as I’ll call it, and I don’t see a movement forward.”
Albert suggested hiring someone soon and seeing “if they fit the mold” during the probationary period, adding that “if they don’t make it, they don’t make it.”
The chairman said that even if the town decided to hire the one applicant who sent in a resume, there would be at least a two week waiting period for them to leave their current job.
“All we’re doing is pushing this out,” Albert said. “We need to hire someone. That’s just my thought process.”
Mahan said he would contact the two Facebook applicants to verify their experience or lack thereof “and I’ll bring something to you.”
Albert commended the hard work of the two public works employees currently in the department, adding that “we need someone in charge down there” and that it’s too much for Mahan, who is assisted by Water and Sewer District Superintendent Jim Leighton in the public works department’s day to day operations.
“You are just everywhere,” Albert said. “You’re here, here, here, and you can’t be everywhere at one time. I’d like to set up interviews as soon as you can, but we need to get on this.”
Mahan said he will try to get everything in order as soon as possible and set dates and times for interviews in the near future.
