The search for a new town administrator has been whittled down even further as a new committee is gearing up to begin interviews to fill the position.

Consulting firm MRI, which the town hired to handle initial candidate selection process, has passed on a total of nine out of the original 49 that applied to the position to a new town board, Select Board Chair Frank Gracie said at the March 19 Select Board meeting.

Out of the original 49, MRI chose the final applicants based on phone interviews and questionnaires the company conducted with all of the potential applicants.

The nine candidates include one from Michigan, two from Illinois, one from Maine, one from Vermont, and four from Massachusetts. Gracie said the applicant from Vermont has already withdrawn and took another job, leaving eight people under consideration for the position.

“I’m excited having read through the resumes and supporting documents,” Gracie said. “I think we have some good candidates to look through.”

The town budgeted $10,000 to hire a consulting firm to assist with the candidate selection. Applicants were closed on February 5. Applications were received from from as far away as Canada, Hawaii, and Florida, although most were based in the New England area.

The list has been passed along to the newly formed Town Administrator Screening Committee. The committee will then conduct interviews with the candidates and come up with a list of finalists to present to the full board. Gracie said the hope is to begin interviews as soon as possible. The committee will be meeting on March 20 to discuss initial scheduling.

Former Town Administrator David Cressman’s last day on the job was February 16. He announced his retirement at a Select Board meeting last year, citing his desire to be closer to his family on the North Shore.

In the interim, Barnes and town Director of Development Deborah Melino-Wender are currently serving as co-town administrators until a replacement is hired.