Jamie L. Costa – The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
(TNS)
HAMPSTEAD — Longtime fire Chief Michael Carrier will retire from his position this week to take on the permanent role of the town administrator, effective Monday.
Carrier has served as the fire chief for the last 16 years and took on the temporary role as interim town administrator in August to get the town through the budget season when the standing administrative assistant retired, Selectmen Steve Morse said.
When the position was posted internally for a full-time town administrator, Carrier and another municipal employee applied.
“The consensus was that with his experience working for the town, plus decades of experience working for municipalities as the former fire chief of Londonderry and based off his history with the town and the amount of money he’s saved us through grants and fiscal responsibility, he stuck out,” Morse said.
Morse said the board has given Carrier a list of goals they’d like him to pursue during his tenure, including town infrastructure and managing new hires such as the police chief, the director of the Department of Public Works and a fire chief that will be coming on during the summer.
In the interim, Deputy Chief Will Warnock will act as the fire chief.
During the Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, Carrier addressed the board and explained the hiring process for a new fire chief that he plans to undertake.
Carrier declined further requests for comment about his change in leadership.
The application process closes March 31 with final reviews slated to be complete by April 11 before the candidates are brought before a community board, an employee board and a professional board for review. The top four candidates with the highest combined rating will be brought before the Board of Selectmen to be chosen.
“I think this is overkill. We won’t have a full-time fire chief until June,” said Selectman Joe Guthrie. “I don’t see why we need to go through all of these processes. I think the townspeople would like this board to make a selection.”
Chair Laurie Warnock said the process was necessary, as the town has not needed to hire a fire chief in 16 years, and the requirements have changed.
“It would also be my recommendation that any internal candidates we have will automatically come before this board,” Carrier said.
“For us to do this process in-house, it will save the town money as opposed to going out and getting a third party in to do it.”
Guthrie’s concerns were eased by Carrier’s recommendation.
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In addition to Carrier taking on the town administrator position full time, Tina Harrington, the financial administrator and clerk to the board, will become the assistant town administrator in a recommendation made by Carrier.
“Nobody has the institutional knowledge or the work ethic that she does and I think she would be a huge asset to this town,” Carrier said.
“I think this is long overdue,” Warnock said. “Tina is the foundation of the work we do. Working with you, we would not be here if it weren’t for her.”
Warnock assured the board administrative changes would not impact the budget as the funding is already assigned.
Both Carrier and Harrington will begin their new positions within the town on Monday.
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