Waterville Valley Select Board Discusses Town Manager Hiring Process
On September 23, 2025, the Waterville Valley Select Board held a special meeting to discuss the hiring process for a new town manager, focusing on finalizing a job advertisement and establishing a selection process (link). The board aimed to create a concise and specific job ad to attract candidates suited for the town’s unique needs, while also outlining a two-step selection process to ensure a thorough evaluation.
The board emphasized the importance of a detailed job advertisement that reflects Waterville Valley’s distinct characteristics, such as its wastewater treatment plant, municipal solid waste operation, and fully staffed public safety department (link). The ad will highlight the need for candidates to be familiar with New Hampshire municipal law and capable of managing significant projects, including potential commercial developments like condominiums and hotels (link). The board also discussed including a statement about the town’s active and engaged residents to provide candidates with a clear understanding of community involvement (link). To avoid excessive length, the board plans to link to a more detailed job description or the town’s annual report for additional context (link).
A key point of discussion was whether to include the tax collector role in the town manager’s responsibilities, as the positions are currently combined by a prior town meeting vote (link). The board noted that separating these roles would require a town meeting vote, which cannot occur at a special meeting. Until such a vote, any new town manager would need to assume both roles, with an interim tax collector appointment pending an audit submission to the Department of Revenue Administration (link). The board is seeking legal guidance to explore options for this arrangement.
For the hiring process, the board proposed a two-step approach. A selection committee, consisting of three to four former select board members and one or two town staff members, would review applications and recommend a shortlist of candidates for the full board to interview (link). The board emphasized that the final hiring decision rests solely with the current select board, as mandated by law (link). To incorporate staff input, the board plans to hold an informal meeting with town staff to gather their perspectives on desired qualities in a town manager (link).
The board aims to finalize the job advertisement by their next meeting on September 24, 2025, to expedite the hiring process and attract qualified candidates before annual contract cycles begin (link). They also discussed leveraging resources like the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) for training and guidance to ensure the new town manager is well-prepared for the role (link).