Burns said he wanted at least 12 applicants to interview, not five.
Paul BurnsPALMER - Town Council President Paul E. Burns said Friday that there are only five town manager candidates that meet the minimum qualifications and he will report to the full Town Council on Monday night at 7 to discuss the next steps.
Burns, along councilors Blake E. Lamothe and Donald Blais Jr., is part of a council subcommittee that was formed to sort through the resumes received for the town manager position.
Burns said 39 have been submitted, and many of the applicants are looking to make a career change. The subcommittee met Thursday night.
"They certainly had the education but not the experience. ... The skill set didn't really match what we're looking for in Palmer," Burns said.
Burns said he wanted at least 12 applicants to interview, not five.
"I'm concerned if we only have five candidates," said Burns, adding last year's search was plagued by candidates dropping out.
Interim Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard provided information at the last council meeting about retaining an outside firm, the Collins Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, to assist with a town manager search, but Burns said he is not sure if the council will go that route.
"I haven't made my own decision on how to move forward with this," Burns said.
The meeting is at the Town Building.