N. Branford narrows field in manager search

By Rachael Scarborough King, Register Staff
Feb. 18, 2008

NORTH BRANFORD — The Town Council is continuing its search for a new town manager and will interview six candidates in early March.

Thirteen people applied for the position, including interim Town Manager Michael Paulhus. Former Town Manager Karl Kilduff left for a job in Darien in early January.

Mayor Michael Doody said the Town Council met in executive session recently to select candidates to interview on March 4 and 5. He said Paulhus will be one of those interviewed. Other applicants are from New York, Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Doody said the qualifications council members looked for in deciding who to interview included “general experience, similar towns, similar working conditions, similar projects.”

“A lot of them have quite impressive résumés,” he said.

The town has advertised the position with a salary of $100,000 to $130,000 per year. North Branford requires the manager to be a town resident, and Doody said he hopes the new manager will stay in the position for at least five to 10 years.

“Sometimes, they like to grow a little bit and might move on — that’s the trend you see,” he said. “We’d like to see one stay permanently, but I don’t know if they want to be married to the town.”

Kilduff was town manager for about six years.

Paulhus said at the Town Council’s last meeting and by phone recently that he is trying to stay out of the council’s discussions on replacing Kilduff.

“I’ve got a hands-off approach because I’m obviously an applicant,” he said.

Doody said that he does not know if the council will choose a new town manager in March or simply narrow down the candidates and hold further interviews.