EAST LONGMEADOW – The search to find East Longmeadow’s first ever human resources (HR) director is well underway – six candidates have applied to the position that is anticipated to be filled by the end of the month.

Town Manager Denise Menard told Reminder Publications interviews are being conducted this week.

“I’ve gotten in touch with two other town HR directors to do interviews,” she noted.  

She added the town is waiting until an HR director comes on board to restart the search to find a new building commissioner.

“We have a great building commissioner right now, from Springfield, that is helping out,” she noted. “And he comes in every day. He’s doing not only the building inspections, but he’s doing zoning enforcement when it’s needed … It’s a slow time of the year anyway and I’ve checked with him to make sure it’s not too much for him [and] that everything is getting done.”

Menard said renovations at Town Hall, which includes the development of a human resources office, is set to be completed mid-January, but may take until the end of the month to complete.

The new charter also requires the creation of additional positions in Town Hall, such as director of finance and planning director, she said. Those jobs won’t be filled until the new HR director is in place.

The director of finance would oversee the accounting department, the tax department, treasury, and assessor’s office, Menard explained.  

“It then takes away tax collection and treasurer from the town clerk position,” she noted. “It’s no longer a town clerk, tax collector, treasurer position. The town clerk will just be the town clerk and the clerk of the Town Council.”

Robyn Macdonald, director of planning, zoning, and conservation, would potentially become the town planner or the planning director, Menard said.

“The planner reacts to development in the community that is coming to the town asking for acceptance of their plans for approval,” she added. “The director of planning will look at our plans now for the community and maybe make some suggestions for intelligent growth in the community, which kind of had to be an aside for the planner, and economic development as well. So, they will be looking for opportunities for us to market the community in positive ways.”

Menard said the planner could also potentially look into the big picture approach of what the planning director is slated to focus on day to day.

“That’s something we need to look at to see if it can be a dual role for the planner,” she added.