By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Town Administrator Screening Committee has winnowed the list of candidates down to six, according to interim Town Administrator Kevin Gill, who serves on the Screening Committee.
The search for a new Town Administrator comes in the wake of Stephen P. Maio’s retirement on July 3 after serving 17 years in the position.
Gill provided an update on the progress of the search at this week’s Town Council meeting.
He reported that the Screening Committee, along with John Petrin of executive search firm Community Paradigm Associates, met on July 2. The committee chose Dan Sherman as chairman before going into executive session to review the 23 applications and resumes that had been submitted.
The six individuals selected will be interviewed by the screening committee in executive session on July 21 and July 22. The committee will then recommend three to five finalists to the Town Council.
Community Paradigm Associates will conduct in-depth background checks on the finalists before the names are released to the public. The Town Council will be provided with the names and resumes of finalists by Aug. 6.
The Council will interview the finalists in open session at Town Hall on Aug. 12 and Aug. 14, beginning at 6 p.m. They are expected to meet again the following week to deliberate and choose the next Town Administrator.
Gill also reported that approximately 200 residents responded to a survey on the qualities that they would like to see in a new Town Administrator. The results of that survey are now posted on the town’s web site.
Maio became only the second Town Administrator in the history of Wakefield when he was appointed by the Board of Selectmen on May 12, 2008. He announced last January that he planned to retire on July 3 of this year.
Maio succeeded Thomas P. Butler who retired in 2008 after becoming Town Administrator in 1998. Butler had served in essentially the same administrative capacity since 1991 as Executive Secretary to the Board of Selectmen. Prior to Butler, John J. McCarthy had served as Executive Secretary since 1958.