AMHERST — The names of two finalists for the Amherst Housing Authority’s executive director position will be revealed before its board of commissioners Monday.
Chairman Michael Burkart said the search committee, which began its work after Debra “Debbie” Turgeon resigned from the position in May, is prepared to release the names of the candidates when the meeting takes place at noon at the community room at Jean Elder Apartments at 9 Chestnut St.
If the board accepts the candidates, it will then schedule times for each finalist to meet board members, tenants and staff. Burkart said board members will take feedback from tenants and staff after these meetings.
“Evaluation forms from those meetings will be gathered and there will be a final board meeting at which the board will vote to hire one of those candidates or reject both,” Burkart said.
If the board votes to hire one of the finalists, it will instruct Burkart to enter into negotiations with that person for a contract. If the board rejects both finalists, the search committee will have to go back to interviewing candidates, Burkart said.
Pam Parmakian, director of housing programs, is the interim executive director of the housing authority, which has nearly 200 units of low-income public housing.
When hired in January 2017, Turgeon signed a three-year contract, that was set to expire April 1, 2020 and paid her $89,214 in the first year for 37.5 hours per week.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
