MATTAPOISETT — With the clock ticking down to a mid- or late-October departure date for Town Administrator Michael Gagne and 25 applications on the table, his screening committee was eager to start contacting candidates for interviews. But first it has to determine what it is looking for in a town administrator, a process which will involve talking to town departments. 

The committee met for the first time on July 18, and immediately identified some qualities that they wanted in a candidate. The committee thought someone with municipal experience and connections was vital, and Gagne agreed. He said that if he does not know how to answer a question he can often ask someone in his network. 

Another factor is environmental experience, which committee members pointed out might not be a key factor in all municipal positions, but is in Mattapoisett’s case because of its location on the water. 

To fill out the qualities that they were looking for beyond those two, committee members decided to each talk to a few department heads or community leaders to see what their priorities were. The list ranged from town department heads to the Council On Aging, Recreation Department, Lions Club and schools. 

Gagne himself acknowledged that the picture in Mattapoisett is “much more complicated than when I started ten years ago.” The Town Administrator or Town Manager community is also a small group to begin with (Gagne estimates there are only about 250 in the state), with about 50 members retiring in the next year. 

Although the committee was wary of picking someone too young, Gagne said that one promising way to find a good candidate might be to look for an Assistant Town Administrator with experience under a good mentor who might be looking to branch out to a town of their own. 

Committee members will interview eight to 10 candidates and choose three finalists to send to the Board of Selectmen. 

In terms of practical transition details, Gagne hopes to hold Town Meeting early this year so he can handle the Town Meeting Warrant. He will also continue to be involved with particularly complex matters, even after retiring.