Nahant search group postpones interviews

NAHANT – The search committee has postponed naming their candidates for town administrator a week, telling selectmen that they had not completed background checks in time for interviews with the candidates scheduled for Wednesday night.”I guess they don’t have the results back from the background check and credit check and they want to give (the recommendations) to us as a complete package,” Selectman Richard Lombard said Wednesday.But Lombard said he was “not at all” concerned with the postponement.”The committee has done an excellent job, I’m extremely proud of the input they have and think the town will be much stronger with the candidates they present.”Cullinan announced in June that he was retiring effective Nov. 5 after 17 years as the Nahant Town Administrator. The Town Administrator Search Committee was appointed in late July to find Cullinan’s replacement, but town officials expressed concern in mid-September that the search committee would not have a replacement in time for Cullinan’s departure. The committee began more frequently meeting and have entered Executive Session – which is allowed by Mass General Law for discussing candidates – as early as Sept. 13, according to their meeting minutes. The meeting minutes also note, however, a request for a volunteer to make a photo/video montage to introduce candidates to Nahant.At the Oct. 27 Board of Selectmen meeting, Cullinan said that he would remain working part-time until January. Selectmen announced that the committee had told them they would be ready to present their recommendations – and selectmen would be able to interview the candidates in open meeting – at the Nov. 9 meeting.But that meeting was canceled Monday, according to Town Hall. Lombard said that the meeting would be rescheduled on Nov. 17, as did committee member Perry Barrasso. Selectman Chair Lainey Titus said that she had heard that the committee will give the selectmen names of candidates so that the board could schedule the interviews. Search committee chair and spokesperson Carl Easton did not respond to several messages.Although he noted that he could not be certain the committee would present candidates Nov. 17. Selectman Mike Manning also said he had “no concerns” about the committee and its timeline.”They’ve certainly gone through a lot of resumes,” Manning said. “I think they’ve done what they need to do.”Cyrus Moulton can be reached at [email protected] Moulton can be reached at [email protected].