The Select Board will soon accept a $14,000 contract with the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston to conduct the town administrator search, the board announced at its Monday, Aug. 12 meeting. 

Once the contract is approved, the center will begin meeting with Select Board members over the next couple weeks as the first of the four-month timeline begins. 

The first month will include advertisement of the position, recruitment, networking and outreach, which Select Board Chair Shawn McDonald believes will be possible in even less time. 

Select Board member David Tatelbaum reiterated his concerns from prior meetings about ensuring a plan is in place if they aren’t getting enough qualified applicants — sooner rather than later.

Melanie Perry, the town administrator assistant who is serving as the procurement officer for the search, assured Tatelbaum that this will be incorporated in the center’s strategy and Tatelbaum will have the opportunity to express his concerns with center representatives.

Perry added the center informed her if the chosen candidate quits within a year, they will conduct the search again free of charge.

Additionally at the meeting, the Select Board announced the town will soon collect applications for those seeking to be on the Town Administrator Screening Committee, which will have five seats. 

The center has recommended that no town employees, department heads or Select Board members sit on the committee due to potential conflict, McDonald said, “which I totally agree.”

The posting will have more specifics on what is expected of committee members, who must be Dartmouth residents, and the level of commitment that is anticipated, he added.