Marblehead light board to interview GM candidates

MARBLEHEAD – The Municipal Light Commission expects to interview five finalists for one of the town’s highest-paid positions, general manager of the Municipal Light Department.The interviews will be scheduled for the first two weeks of January.Robert Jolly plans to retire in March. He notified the commissioners of that last summer and this month he sent them a 90-day written notice of his intention, as required by his contract. Jolly has served as general manager of the department for 16 years and earns in excess of $153,000.The vacancy was posted Nov. 1 on three professional websites. No specific salary was mentioned in the postings but applicants were asked to list their salary requirements and Sweeney estimated the next general manager’s salary at $90,000-$130,000. The application deadline was Dec. 1.At Thursday’s commission meeting, Chairman Philip Sweeney said he and Commissioner Charles Phillips screened 22 applications.”I will contact the finalists and set up interviews. I am assuming there will be five (finalists),” Sweeney said.He noted that most of the applicants are from the area. There was at least one in-house applicant. Finalists’ names will be revealed once the interviews are scheduled, Sweeney said, and copies of each finalist’s resume will be sent to the commissioners.He asked each commission member to be present for the interviews, which will begin with a prepared list of questions. Once the interviews are over the commission will make a decision and, if they choose a candidate, they will negotiate a salary.