Candidate pool thins

More than 14 months after Waynesboro’s Economic Development Director resigned, officials seeking a replacement hire have narrowed the pool of candidates to two, officials said Thursday.

Informal discussion of the recruitment effort and interviewing process is expected today at the regular meeting of the Economic Development Authority.

Then-Director Meghan Williamson resigned in August 2008. Assistant City Manager Jim Shaw has acted as interim director since.

Shaw said interviews have been conducted for the director’s position, but he would not discuss details. City Council members said they have been told two candidates are being seriously considered.

Officials began the replacement search in January but did not find satisfactory applicants in the first pool of resumes, Shaw said. In June, the city advertised the position in national publications and trade magazines, and gathered at least 43 more applications, Shaw said.

According to the minutes of the Sept. 11 EDA meeting, five candidates were selected from that pool.

“[EDA Chairman Thomas Reider] and Mr. Shaw agreed that one was particularly exciting,” the minutes state.

Mayor Tim Williams and Councilwoman Lorie Smith said Thursday they were told the recruitment team is “pretty far down the road” with two candidates.

That news pleases officials who have tried to make filling the position a priority.

Reider, for example, called the recruitment thorough, but added it has taken “a lot longer” than expected.

“I have gotten, I would say, impatient, in not having someone on board,” Smith said.

Regional and state economic opportunities are being missed without the director in place, she said.

“I think Jim Shaw has been very capable in handling both [his jobs],” Williams said. “I don’t feel like it has hurt us a great deal ... With ... a good strong economic director, we could be doing better.”

Economic development director salaries range from $64,000 to $96,000, Shaw said.