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IPSWICH — The Select Board plans to move quickly in its search for a permanent town manager after the holiday break.
The position is expected to be posted in early January, with board members Michael Dougherty and Carl Nylen set to lead the initial screening of applications.
Under the job posting approved last week, preferred candidates must either already hold certification in town administration or obtain it within the first two years on the job.
Salary
While the original job posting listed a salary range of $185,000 to $200,000, Dougherty recommended raising the ceiling to $215,000.
Dougherty said Ipswich’s complexity justifies the higher salary, citing the town’s multiple waterways, its municipally-owned Utilities Department, and what he described as “many other factors that other communities in this state don’t assume.”
“I think we should really reflect that,” Dougherty said. “Having a slightly higher salary range than what’s listed will attract the candidates we’re looking for — whether from the public or private sector.”
Interim Town Manager Thomas Younger cautioned that hiring at the top of the salary range could have long-term financial implications, particularly when factoring in cost-of-living increases and bonuses.
“You don’t have to worry about it at this point, but it is something to keep in mind,” he said.
Dougherty noted that the Boxford town administrator earned $192,000 in 2024 and received a 2% increase this year.
“My point is that the difference between a town administrator in a community like Boxford compared to a town manager in a town like Ipswich is vastly different. And they’re already at [$192,000],” he said. “I would just hate to set the ceiling low, where [candidates] just keep swiping and don’t even send an application.”
The board agreed to offer a salary range of $185,000 to $210,000.
Recruiting
Back in November, the board decided to forego a search committee and consulting firm, both of which had been used in previous town manager hirings.
During last week’s discussion, Younger asked whether the board wanted him to actively recruit candidates by contacting current or recently displaced town managers.
Select Board Chair Charles Surptiski said he had “mixed feelings” about that approach.
“I wouldn’t mind people chatting with you on their own initiative, and you telling them how great we are,” Surpitski told Younger. “[But recruiting] sets an unrealistic expectation on the candidates’ part that they have an inside track.”
Selectperson Linda Alexson agreed, saying that she would prefer to “float the ad and see what happens” in order to keep the candidates “on an even platform.”
Strong candidates
Nylen acknowledged the concern but argued that active recruitment increases the likelihood of attracting strong candidates.
“Waiting and hoping that a good candidate lands on us through an open posting — I just don’t have a lot of faith that’s going to happen,” he said.
Surpitski countered that the hiring process should be “open and objective.”
“If the ad encourages them to talk to [Younger], I wouldn’t mind that,” Surpitski said. “But to go out and say, ‘Hey, this job is open, why don’t you apply?’ — it just doesn’t feel right to me.”
Selectperson Sarah Player sided with Nylen, saying Younger should be trusted to identify candidates who may be a good fit.
“That candidate still has to get through us,” Player said. “They still have to present well and interview well. We’re still going to vet them.”
Nylen and Player were ultimately outnumbered, and the board agreed to post the position without actively recruiting candidates.
Nylen said the current timeline calls for the hiring process to wrap up in April, with a new town manager expected to start sometime between then and June.
