HARTFORD — The town will start the search for its next town manager in Vermont and New Hampshire, and branch out to a national search, if necessary.
The Hartford Selectboard agreed on the parameters at a special meeting Monday and plans to contract with a recruiting company to help post the position and find qualified candidates “in a pared down way that may include reduced time; reduced costs,” Selectboard Chairwoman Ida Greisemer said in a recording of Monday’s meeting.
Current Town Manager John Haverstock, 64, announced last Tuesday that he plans to retire this summer.
Before picking Haverstock from a pool of 55 applicants in 2023, Hartford conducted a nationwide search. The Selectboard allocated $15,000 to the 2023 search and contracted with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns to assist.
This time around, the Selectboard emphasized the importance of moving quickly through the search process.
Selectboard member Tim Fariel said he expects the town could use lessons from the 2023 search to come up with an “affordable, but effective model” to find the next town manager.
The board expects a recruiting company to work with town staff and a search committee to shorten the process and reduce costs. The group planned to meet with multiple companies this week and will choose which to hire at a special meeting Monday, April 13.
Based on early conversations with recruiting companies, Haverstock said he expects a full search could be done for less than $20,000. If the Selectboard reduces the work of the company and assigns some of the work to town staff, as it plans to, it may cost closer to $5,000.
“Yes, it’s money, but it’s not a lot of money,” Fariel said of hiring a recruiting company. “We’re talking about a leader managing a … $24 million budget, so I really think that spending X number of dollars for that effort to get good results is not a bad investment.”
The hiring process may also be shortened because the Selectboard believes there are “potentially some suitable local candidates,” Fariel speculated.
The Selectboard is accepting applications from community members and town staff to serve on a Town Manager Selection Committee. Information about how to apply and access to the application form is on the Hartford town website at https://tinyurl.com/y9z8n5aw.
The Selectboard plans to have two community members, two Selectboard members and three Hartford employees on the search committee.
Haverstock said the town had already received a handful of applications for the committee.
Other residents interested in joining the committee should apply by 5 p.m. Monday. The Selectboard will interview candidates at the Special Meeting starting at 6 p.m. Residents who can’t attend the meeting can still apply.
The Selectboard will interview community member candidates in public at the Monday meeting and choose committee members and a recruitment company in an executive session. The group will announce their picks and also will discuss any changes to the town manager job description in public.
The duties of the town manager are largely dictated by the Town Charter and state law. In Hartford, the manager is responsible for “the proper and efficient administration” of town departments, attending meetings and working with the Selectboard, preparing the annual budget and regular financial updates and overseeing town employees and facilities.
In 2023, Hartford sought a manager with at least seven years of experience who had leadership skills including the “ability to gain the trust and respect of others,” “ability to inspire confidence of others,” to work well with town, state and federal employees and local businesses, and strong skills in and knowledge of government and project management.
Monday’s Selectboard meeting will be at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.
