By ADAM SWIFT
PEABODY — The city is looking to fill two of its most visible positions.
A search committee will soon begin interviewing a dozen candidates for community development and planning director and applications are still being accepted for director of the Peabody Institute Library.
Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt said he would like to have the community development and planning position filled around the beginning of May.
The new director will replace Karen Sawyer Conard, who left after seven years in the position to become executive director of the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.
“We had over 35 applicants for the position,” said Bettencourt. “We’ve narrowed that to 12 candidates who will be interviewed over the next couple of weeks.”
The search committee includes human resources director Beth O’Donnell, City Councilor David Gravel, Peabody Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deanne Healey and public services director David Terenzoni.
“They’ll narrow it to two to four candidates to present to me to conduct the final interviews, and then I’ll present a candidate to the city council for approval,” said Bettencourt. “I think there are a number of candidates who fit the criteria we are looking for. I’m confident that we will bring in a quality person.”
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The mayor said whoever fills the position will have some big shoes to fill.
“Karen did an excellent job for us,” Bettencourt said. “I hope that we bring in somebody who will continue to do that kind of work for us.”
Over the past several years, the community development and planning office has been behind several major projects in the city, including the reconfiguration of Peabody Square.
The full-time position is posted with a salary between $102,000-$112,477.
The library director will be appointed by the city’s elected Board of Library Trustees. Trustee Jean Ahern said the position was posted earlier this month and applications will be accepted through April 7.
At that point, a search committee will begin sifting through the resumes to see if the application deadline will need to be extended or if interviews will begin.
Ahearn said the new director will replace Martha Holden, who retired earlier this year after 17 years as the head of the Peabody Institute Library.
“She was really a gift to us and will be missed,” said Ahern.
The trustees are looking for someone who is willing to promote the library and be a part of the community as well as being the head of the library, said Ahern.
The full-time library director position is being advertised with a salary between $82,500-$92,293.