Dormont Officials Discuss Timeline for Hiring Borough Manager

held a special meeting Wednesday night to form a plan for a statewide search for a new borough manager.

Michael Foreman, a local government and policy specialist with the state Department of Community and Economic Development, discussed a preliminary timeline for advertising, interviewing and hiring someone to fill the position, which has been vacant since .

Council voted in February to appoint Foreman to assist with the process. Foreman is providing a service of the state, and the borough is not paying him for his services. Council President Bill McCartney said Foreman will provide unbiased guidance—not personal opinion—to council throughout the hiring process.

“We’re doing a statewide search, so (Foreman) is here to assist us with providing guidance, collecting resumes, comparing them,” McCartney said.

The process could take five or six months, with advertisements published in various state and local publications during April, candidate interviews throughout May and subsequent approvals by council. The newly appointed manager would start within four weeks of council’s vote to hire.

Councilwoman Joan Hodson said she is confident that the process will help the borough find an experienced manager.

“I think the steps we’re taking are the right thing to do,” she said. “I’m confident in the help we’re receiving and I’m confident we can find the right fit.”

McCartney and Councilman John Maggio said five to six months is standard to complete a hiring process, and McCartney said he hopes to have an interim borough manager in place as soon as possible.

Two candidates already have been interviewed, McCartney said, and a third will be interviewed next week.

“It will be a methodical, thorough and objective process,” he said.