Atkinson to start town administrator interviews

From the Eagle Tribune;

Atkinson to start town administrator interviews
By Eric Parry
eparry@eagletribune.com

ATKINSON — Selectmen plan to begin interviewing town administrator candidates next week and to hire someone as soon as possible.

The candidates have been recommended by the Local Government Center, a municipal agency that found former Town Administrator Steven Angelo.

"We're anxious and diligent in finding someone for the job," Selectman William Friel said.

Selectmen said the salary range for the position depends on the person, but Angelo was making $75,000 per year when he left in January. The previous administrator, Russ McCallister, made $63,000, plus benefits. Angelo did not receive any health or retirement benefits with his salary, Friel said.

Selectmen said they can't wait to hire a new administrator because they must handle the day-to-day operations of running the town without someone in that position.

Selectman William Bennett, elected earlier this month, said he spent four 12-hour days dealing with town business last week. Friel said he spends an average of two to three hours in the selectmen's office each day and then more time at home.

"It burdens the three of us much more," Friel said after last night's selectmen's meeting.

Angelo, who started in September, left abruptly in late January, citing difficulty selling his Cape Cod home and the need to spend more time with his family. McCallister left in February 2008 to work as a government adviser in Iraq. Craig Kleman was hired in April as an interim administrator but left last summer to take a similar job in Plaistow. He has since left Plaistow.