On March 25, the Board of Selectmen voted 2-to-1 to appoint Michael Szlosek as town administrator, pending contract negotiations between Szlosek and the town of Sterling. Selectmen John Kilcoyne and Robert Cutler voted in favor of the motion to appoint Szlosek, and Board of Selectmen Chair Brian Patacchiola voted against the motion. Szlosek has served as interim town administrator since December 3, 2014. His appointment followed the untimely death of former Town Administrator Jeffrey Ritter in October.
Patacchiola and Kilcoyne said they had received both positive and negative feedback regarding Szlosek’s performance. Cutler declined to comment.
Patacchiola expressed disappointment that only two candidates, Szlosek and Michael Coughlin, were considered for the position. “I would have liked to have seen at least a third candidate,” he said, adding that he would recommend hiring a firm to seek additional candidates.
Kilcoyne thanked Coughlin for his interest, calling his background and experience “impressive.” Patacchiola said he admired the energy and enthusiasm Coughlin displayed during the interview process. Kilcoyne admitted that serving as interim town administrator gave Szlosek “a built-in advantage, as we got to see his performance.”