Committee application deadline this Friday

Wed, 02/27/2013 - 09:34 am

Lynda Clancy

ROCKPORT —An appeal to citizens to help select a new town manager in Rockport has drawn 17 willing citizens so far, with two days to go before a search committee application deadline closes. On March 6, at 7 p.m., the Select Board will discuss behind closed doors the pool of search committee applicants.

"I expect we will get a few more," said William Chapman, Chairman of the Rockport Select Board, on Feb. 26.

The select board is invoking the section of Maine State law governing legal executive session to talk about the applicants in a secret meeting. That section of the Freedom of Access law says that executive session is legal if, "discussion or consideration of the employment, appointment, assignment, duties, promotion, demotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplining, resignation or dismissal of an individual or group of public officials, appointees or employees of the body or agency or the investigation or hearing of charges or complaints against a person or persons subject to the following conditions: (1) An executive session may be held only if public discussion could be reasonably expected to cause damage to the individual's reputation or the individual's right to privacy would be violated...."

Rockport's former town manager Robert Peabody officially departed the office two weeks ago, and Roger Moody, a Knox County Commissioner and Camden's former town manager, stepped in temporarily to help tide the town over until a new manager is hired. The town and Peabody reached a severance/release agreement that was signed Feb. 19.

The Rockport Select Board is to assemble a five to seven-member town manager search committee consisting of citizens. Chapman anticipates a process that may take several months and be geographically large in scope.

So far, citizens who have submitted committee applications include:

Gene Graves
Molly Sholes
Tom Cox
Doug Linder
Dave Jackson
John Osgood
Sharon Stone
Leni Gronros
James Chalfant
Peter Hall
John Viehman
William Gartley
Jan Rosenbaum
Michelle Heald
Mark Masterson
John Dolcater
Kimberlee Graffam

"We anticipate this to be a nationwide search," said Chapman, referencing the town's recent search for a new fire chief that drew applications from across the country, even Alaska. Select Board member Ken McKinley is currently working with Maine Municipal Association to draft search suggestions and parameters.

Chapman said the decision to go behind closed doors to discuss committee applications was "pretty much a group idea" that was part of the conversation amongst board members when they met last week to appoint Moody to the temporary, 20-hour per week position.

"The point was raised and everybody nodded that it made sense," he said.

For more information, contact the Rockport Town Office, 236-0806, or download an application here and email it to Executive Secretary Stacey Parra.

Hard copies of applications are also available at the front desk at the Rockport Town Office.

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