HADLEY — Two finalists remain in the running to become Hadley’s next town administrator, though after three hours of interviews Tuesday the Select Board appeared far from making a decision on whether either candidate would be offered the job.
While the five-member board agreed to narrow the finalists to Nick Caccamo, Williamsburg’s town administrator, and Nate Malloy, a senior planner in Amherst, members were uncertain that either could immediately step into the role. A third candidate Leominster Library Director Alexander Lent dropped from consideration,
With no route to reaching a decision apparent, the Select Board canceled a meeting it had scheduled for Wednesday and will instead bring back the finalists for interviews next week, with Hadley specific questions that better inform the board.
“Personally, if I had to make a decision tomorrow night, it would be none of them, because I don’t feel I know enough,” said board member David J. Fill II, adding that he doesn’t want Hadley to be stuck with someone who’s not right.
“That’s my worry, too,” said board member Molly Keegan. “I don’t want to make the wrong decision.”
“I’m not sold on any one person yet,” said Chairman Randy Izer, adding that Caccamo brings the town administrator experience, while Malloy has done the work that could enhance the tax base.
Board member Jane Nevinsmith said she is concerned that none of the candidates understand Hadley well enough. “It may be that neither of these candidates are the ones,” Nevinsmith said.
John Petrin, senior associate with Community Paradigm Associates, said he could arrange additional one-on-one interviews but also cautioned the board about this approach.
“I haven’t had this situation before,” Petrin said. “Usually boards are ready at this point.”
A screening committee reviewed 16 applications and then brought five to do closed-door interviews, with three presented publicly.
“These were, in my opinion, three good candidates,” Petrin said. “I think the screening committee did a great job for pulling this together for the board’s consideration.”
He also warned that doing another search might not yield better candidates, or more applicants.
For Keegan, the worry is that a safety net might be needed for the hire, and that Michael Mason, as the interim town administrator and police chief, may have to remain in both roles for longer.
Keegan said Williamsburg has a different flavor and different issues than Hadley.
This is a concern for Fill, as well. “I don’t think it scales as easily as he thinks it does to Hadley,” Fill said.
“I think that Nick is going to be used to a very slow pace, and coming here he is going to get overwhelmed,” Izer said.
As the discussion began following the interviews, board member Amy Parsons suggested making an offer to Caccamo.
“I already know who I would like,” Parsons said., explaining that his hiring would be the shortest transition and that he “will be most successful with where he’s at right now in his career.”
Nevinsmith, too, said that Caccamo could hit the ground running and worries that Malloy would need too much on-the-job training.
“I think our town is in a position right now where we need someone who is up and going instead of someone who is in the training cycle,” Nevinsmith said.
But Keegan said both candidates would need the safety net for success. “In my head right now, it’s not obvious,” Keegan said.
Petrin said the board should evaluate leadership, noting some skills can be learned quickly, including budgeting “I’m not worried about that,”
“The biggest skills is which of these people can best lead your organization and pull that together,” Petrin said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
