By Katina Caraganis

MediaNews

ASHBY -- Ashby selectmen have elected to search for a part-time town administrator to take over the helm after the departure of Doug Briggs, who had been splitting his time between Ashburnham and Ashby.

While his contract remained with the town of Ashburnham, both towns have a shared-services agreement for Briggs' service. Ashby selectmen elected to extend the contract until the end of August so Briggs could help in the process of finding a more permanent replacement, but Briggs turned in his keys earlier this week.

In a job posting on the town's website, a qualified candidate must have a minimum of five years experience as a town administrator or town manager and a bachelor's degree is required. A master's degree would be preferred, according to the posting, and the ideal candidate must have organizational and planning skills.

Additionally, a candidate should have strong fiscal and managerial skills, according to the posting.

Selectmen Dan Meunier said advertising the job as part-time would be best because the town only has $50,000 or so to offer a potential employee in terms of salary.

"We don't have a lot of money. We have about half of what someone would get somewhere else," Meunier said. "We won't find someone with that kind of money who wants to be here full-time. What I'm hoping for is to find someone who has been a town administrator or town manager before and doesn't want to work full-time and

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would work for that much money."

Meunier said his fear is that if a full-time position was advertised with a low amount of money attached to it, the selectmen wouldn't get any quality candidates.

"What would probably happen is they'd get a little experience with us and then move on to someplace else with more money," he said.

Briggs had served as town administrator of both communities for over a year, but after a 2-1 failed vote in Ashby earlier this week over regional dispatch, Ashburnham selectmen Chairman Ed Vitone said that the idea of continuing to share Briggs' services was no longer as appealing.

"It looks like all our regionalize options with Ashby are dying on the vine. Clearly, any long-term relationship with Doug, Ashby and Ashburnham didn't pass the test set out when we started this journey," Vitone said.

Interested parties should submit five copies of a letter of interest, resume, and five work-related references to the Selectmen's office, 895 Main St.

Resumes will be accepted until Aug. 31, and no electronic applications will be accepted.