SOUTHWICK – With several open municipal positions, the Board of Selectmen have re-evaluated some job descriptions and adjusted degree requirements.
The board voted 2-1 to eliminate degree requirements for both the Department of Public Works Director position, as well as the Police Lieutenant slot. Former Chairman Arthur Pinell and Russell Fox approved the DPW vote and current Chairman Fox and Joseph Deedy approved the lieutenant change last week. In both instances, Selectwoman Tracy Cesan voted against the changes.
Chief Administrative Officer Karl Stinehart said Police Chief David Ricardi brought forward the changes to the lieutenant description “in order to make sure there was a good, broad-based pool of candidates.”
Stinehart said the selectmen had a similar reason for the DPW change.
“They didn’t want to band themselves,” said Stinehart. “This would allow them to attract people with the highest classification.”
The DPW position was advertised without a deadline.
“It’s open until it’s filled,” Stinehart said. “We have some applicants now.”
In addition to local employment listings, the town advertised in The Beacon, a statewide municipal publication.
“We are starting to get some interest from that,” said Stinehart.
Earlier this week the board unanimously agreed to wait to fill the DPW supervisor position – for which they interviewed four candidates already – until they hire a DPW director.
“They put that search on hold and notified those candidates, some of which also applied for the DPW director job,” Stinehart said.
