LAKEVILLE— After receiving only two viable applicants for the position of Lakeville’s Town Administrator, the Town Administrator Search Committee reinitiated search efforts. 

In hopes of attracting more applicants, the Committee extended the deadline to apply for the position to August 12. 

This decision sparked debate among Select Board members at the Board’s meeting on Monday, Aug. 12.

Select Board Member Brian Day said he felt the Committee should have interviewed the two applicants that members have identified as the best fits for the position before returning to look for more. 

“I’m going to go along. I don’t like this. I think it was outside the charge [of the Search Committee]. I’m going to go along with it and see what happens,” said Day. 

The Search Committee is required to present at least two candidates as finalists to the Select Board, according to Board members.

Member Maureen Candito confirmed the Committee had received approval from Town Counsel before reopening the search. 

Candito said there was no “malice” on the board, and “when they were given the answer that it was in scope, then [they] proceeded.”

Select Board Vice Chair Lia Fabian stood behind the decision to reopen the search because of the risk that one of the candidates drops out. 

“If we recommend two [to the Select Board] and one drops out, then we’re only offering one,” she said. 

Since the deadline was extended, there have been two more applicants, Search Committee members confirmed. 

Select Board Chair Lorraine Carboni expressed a concern that time was running out. The Search Committee was formed before the election in April. 

“We are at the end of August,” she said. “I knew this was going to be a long process. I didn’t anticipate it being this long.”

The Select Board pushed the Search Committee to start setting dates for interviews as soon as possible.