RUMFORD — Selectmen are expected to begin interviewing town manager applicants next week.

Selectman Jeff Sterling said Tuesday night that the board had received about 20 applications for the job being vacated by Town Manager Carlo Puiia.

Puiia said Thursday afternoon that selectmen met Monday evening to review the applications and resumes. They narrowed down the number of candidates to call in for interviews. He said that although his office is facilitating the town manager search for selectmen, he’s got nothing to do with it.

Puiia tendered his resignation on Sept. 19 following an executive session of the board. Selectmen unanimously voted to accept it.

In his resignation letter, he wrote that his decision to resign was “a personal one,” and one that was “based primarily on family values.” Later that month, Puiia told the Sun Journal that he resigned “to focus more on his family’s happiness and safety.”

He said he would stay until they appointed a new town manager, or until the end of the business day on Friday, Dec. 20, whichever came first.

Sterling said he believes the board will appoint someone this month.

Before being appointed town manager in June 2009, Puiia served as the town’s tax collector for 13 years, and worked as a self-employed tax preparer before that.

In other municipal government news, Tuesday’s ballot tallies remained the same after being recounted and verified Wednesday, according to the town clerk’s office Thursday.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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