SOUTHWICK — The Board of Health may be altering its strategy for hiring a health director after receiving few applications for the position left vacant by Tammy Spencer.

The board had posted the job listing without a listed salary, but with the intention of paying a salary of $60,000, which Spencer had been making by the time she left the position last month to become health director in East Longmeadow. Board of Health member Jean Nilsson said during the Nov. 18 meeting that none of the applicants were as qualified as Spencer, or current acting Health Director Tom Fitzgerald.

One candidate went further in the application process, but Nilsson said he pulled out when he learned the salary. Likely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages and demand for medical personnel in all sectors has led to salaries increasing.

Fitzgerald told the board that the town needs to either raise the salary or lower its requirements for the position. Select Board member Russell Fox was at the board meeting to help them figure out where to get additional funds for a higher salary, and to come up with new strategies for hiring a health director.

Board of Health Chair Sue Brzoska suggested raising the salary to $70,000 a year for those who have the same or more experience than Spencer or Fitzgerald. Less qualified applicants would be offered the $60,000 rate. Fox said that he did not anticipate the town’s Board of Personnel taking issue with that plan.

He also suggested that, if a less qualified candidate is hired, the director could be offered training to get the qualifications that the position really requires, within a certain period of time after hiring.

“I think we have to do it. We don’t have a choice,” said Fox. “This is a health issue. It’s just the current market.”

Brzoska said that she would like to see the new health director trained in soil evaluation, and to have a master’s degree as a registered sanitarian. Fitzgerald said that putting those as desired requirements, but allowing a candidate to achieve them within 18 months of being hired, could make it easier to find candidates.

Fox said that he will recommend to the Select Board and Finance Committee that the salary for the health director be raised for qualified applicants. He said he wants to find a way to accomplish this without the need for a special Town Meeting.