The council also directed the town manager search subcommittee to take another look at the candidates to see if any more could be identified as finalists.
PALMER - The Town Council on Monday night gave the go-ahead to the town manager search subcommittee to interview the five town manager candidates, and put on hold retaining an outside firm to assist with the search.
"We could conduct interviews with these people right now. If it doesn't work, then maybe we'll take the next step and hire a company . . . At least keep the process moving along," District 3 Councilor Blake E. Lamothe said.
Town Council President Paul E. Burns told his fellow councilors that out of 37 resumes received, only five candidates to interview were identified, not the 12 he was seeking.
He expressed concern about interviewing a small pool of candidates, as last year's search was marked by candidates dropping out.
Burns is not releasing the names of the candidates that will be interviewed, unlike the searches last year in which semi-finalist names were made public. Burns later said he received information from the town lawyer that said the semifinalist names do not have to be made public.
The council also directed Burns' town manager search subcommittee, which includes Lamothe and District 4 Councilor Donald Blais Jr., to take another look at the candidates to see if any more could be identified as finalists. Lamothe said there were a few candidates "that were sort of borderline."
Burns used the example of someone who served on municipal boards for many years, and asked if that counted as five years of relevant experience as outlined in the town manager job description in the town charter.
District 2 Councilor Barbara A. Barry said a board member without management experience would not qualify, but someone who served on municipal boards and who was a manager, could.
The subcommittee will meet Thursday to review the candidates, and possibly hold an interview.
Interim Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard provided the council with three names of search firms, should the council decide to go that route to find a town manager: the Collins Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, which charges $10,000 to $12,000; MMA Consulting, which charges $6,000 to $17,000, and Grout and Associates, which charges $10,000 to $12,000.
The council put aside $20,000 to fund a search at a previous meeting.