MARION — The search for a new Town Administrator has moved one step further as the Marion Select Board appointed a five-member search committee at its Nov. 15 meeting.   

The search committee, which will be responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for Marion Town Administrator, will consist of Select Board Chair Randy Parker, Building Commissioner Robert Grillo, and residents Cynthia Callow, Mike Sudofsky and Jay Pateakos.

Marion’s previous town administrator, James McGrail, left his three-year position after accepting a job as Middleboro Town Manager in October. His last day was on Friday, Nov. 11. 

“There’s a lot of really qualified people,” said Select Board Member Norm Hills, when he was nominating applicants to be approved to the committee. “It’s difficult but I’ll take a crack at [selecting people].”

The Select Board is working with Community Paradigm Associates, LLC., the same hiring firm that brought on McGrail in 2019, to conduct a search for a new town administrator.

According to a job description released by the town, the next Marion Town Administrator can look forward to a starting salary of around $150,000. 

As of Nov. 15, there are 15 applicants for the town administrator position, said Interim Town Administrator Judy Mooney.  

According to Bernie Lynch, the founder of Community Paradigm Associates, LLC., the identities of applicants who apply to municipal jobs are normally kept confidential until finalists have been chosen. 

Applications for the Town Administrator position are due on Nov. 29, said Mooney, and members of the search committee will interview candidates during the week of Dec. 5. 

“For those of you who were appointed, you have a big challenge,” said Hills.