Selectmen in Marion voted to offer Heather Sylvia, Dartmouth’s erstwhile Council on Aging director, a similar position in the Town of Marion.

Marion’s Selectmen voted on March 1 to offer Sylvia the position pending successful contract negotiations. Chair Stephen Cushing said Sylvia’s previous experience and local knowledge made her the ideal candidate.

“She mentioned rebranding the Senior Center…taking away that whole senior stigma,” Cushing said. “She’s familiar with the area, the players in the area.”

Syvlia has similiar goals in mind for Dartmouth’s senior center, but resigned in January after five months in the position, citing a “hostile and unmanageable” work environment.

Sylvia would fill the position left by former Director Sue Schwager, who announced her retirement last year.

Sylvia has eight years of experience working with senior citizens. For six years she was director at Acushnet’s Council on Aging. Prior to that she worked as a coordinator at New Bedford’s Council on Aging.

Marion’s Selectmen received more than 30 applications for the position following a second round of advertising. In December, an initial slate of interviews was scheduled. Of the three candidates selected, two withdrew applications days before they were to meet Selectmen.

Cushing said any one of the three that interviewed at the end of February would have done excellent work, but Sylvia stood out.

Selectman Jody Dickerson agreed.

“She could start the job with a very small learning curve,” Dickerson said. “I think she’d be a great asset to the community.”