OXFORD — Interim Oxford Town Manager Rodney Smith said he has received 10 applications for the town manager’s job as of Tuesday, March 8.

Deadline for applications is Friday, April 15.

“I thought they’d (come in) a little faster,” he said.

Smith, who is also the town’s code enforcement officer, said he will not be a candidate for town manager. 

Selectmen have been advertising for the past two weeks, including with the Maine Municipal Association Job Bank and Indeed.com, a popular job-search site.

Longtime manager Michael Chammings left in January to become Auburn’s community and economic development director.

Smith said the board held several public meetings last month to gather information from town officials and residents about what they would like to see in their next town manager.

“We took the advice of residents,” Smith said.

Topping their list of “wants” was a good communicator and someone who would be a resident of the town.

Smith said he suspects there will be some who will need to first determine whether they want to make the move to Oxford before they decide to apply.

“It’s a big move,” he said.

After reviewing the comments from the public meetings, selectmen agreed that minimal qualifications would include:

• experience working with Tax Increment Financing zones, such as the one set up on Route 26 in the area of Oxford Casino;

• strong grant-writing skills;

• strong communication skills;

• transparency;

• honesty;

• at least a bachelor’s degree; and

• becoming a resident of Oxford within 12 months of appointment.

Selectmen are requiring five years of full-time management experience, a degree in business or public administration or the equivalent in relevant experience.

Salary will be based on experience.

Chammings was hired in 2004 at a salary of $48,000 per year and left this year with a salary of about $80,000.

The applications will be reviewed by Smith and selectmen and two or three finalists chosen for interviews by selectmen.

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