After several months of searching for a new town manager, Bayfield has narrowed the applicant pool to two candidates. Their names have not been disclosed.
“I feel very positive about both candidates. Personally, they were my two top choices,” said Kat Katsos, a member of the Bayfield Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees, which is responsible for hiring the town manager, has been using a recruiting firm to assist in the search. Board members watched the applicants’ Zoom interviews and reviewed their resumes. Hearing the candidates answer questions about Bayfield and town management was particularly informative, Katsos said.
The applicants will visit Bayfield on April 10 or 11, Katsos said.
“They will be interviewing with town staff, they’ll be interviewing with the board, and then it’ll be opened up to key stakeholders who would like to be introduced to these candidates,” she said.
It is important for there to be a good match between the town manager and stakeholders, such as the Chamber of Commerce director, library director, and business managers or owners who are integral to the community, Katsos said.
However, the experience and qualifications of the candidates are a higher priority, she said.
Katsos emphasized the importance of hiring a town manager with extensive knowledge of local and state government. Since Bayfield is a statutory town, it must abide by state laws, which is critical to daily operations.
The search has been ongoing since the resignation of former Town Manager Katie Sickles in October.
For the past several months, Scott Hahn has served as interim town manager and will continue in that role until a permanent hire is made.
Details about the visit and the open meet-and-greet session will be released at a later date on the Bayfield Town Facebook page.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
A previous version of this story misspelled the names of Kat Katsos, Scott Hahn and Katie Sickles. Also, a previous version of this story said the town manager applicants would visit April 10. The candidates will visit April 10 or 11.
