Fire Chief Finalists Announced
Town Manager Mark Haddad announced that the Fire Chief Search Committee has selected two finalists for Chief of the Groton Fire Department. According to the Groton Charter, the Town Manager is responsible for organizing a search committee for the purpose of screening and presenting candidates to Selectmen to be interviewed for the position of Chief of the Fire Department. The choice of Chief is Selectmen's to make.
Town Manager Haddad announced that the original field of seven candidates had been winnowed to two. The candidates are: A. Steel McCurdy, currently Deputy Fire Chief of the Littleton Fire Department and Robert A. Hart, currently the Deputy Fire Chief of the Acton Fire Department.
The search committee had been advertised widely in appropriate forums, receiving 25 resumes. These resumes were carefully vetted and of the 25, seven were chosen for further scrutiny. Of the final seven, two dropped out. Haddad said that of the five candidates considered, two 'rose to the top.' Haddad praised the work of the search committee which included: Selectmen Joshua Degen and Peter Cunningham, Fire Department Captains James Emslie and Susan Daly, Police Chief Donald Palma, Bud Robertson and Connie Sartini.
To assist the Board of Selectmen in choosing the best candidate, Town Manager Haddad hired the MMA Consulting Group to conduct an assessment of the two candidates on Tuesday, June 10. The assessment involves a series of role-playing exercises meant to anticipate how candidates would react in stressful management situations.
Haddad suggested Selectmen interview the candidates prior to the Assessment Center exercises so they can meet the candidates before watching their performance in the exercises. Consequently, Selectmen agreed to conduct candidate interviews on June 9, starting at 4:30 in Selectmen's Meeting room on the first floor of Town Hall. The interview with candidate McCurdy will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the interview with Robert Hart beginning at 5:45. The candidate interviews are open to the public.
The Town Manager said he was pleased with the search process and how comprehensive it was. He said both candidates are outstanding and Selectmen will have a difficult choice to make.
