By Gail Geraghty

Staff Writer

DENMARK — Only 10 people have applied so far for the job of Denmark Town Manager, and the Town Manager Search Committee has extended the deadline until Friday, Oct. 30.

“We’re still doing interviews,” Selectman Beverly Caparco said last week. “We’ll whittle it down to three and then do final interviews. Then we’ll make an offer.” A closed meeting was held Sept. 22 to review the resumes submitted to date.

Caparco said town government operations have been continuing as best they can the past two and a half months, since Town Manager Dan Merhalski resigned July 31. “The town clerk is doing a lot of the work,” she said. “We’re a little bit stretched but everyone’s pulling together to make it work.”

The Town Manager Search Committee has six members and is chaired by resident Jay Transue. Selectmen recently decided to advertise for the position on two free job search websites, LinkedIn and Monster.com.

At last month’s board meeting, Caparco reported that she contacted three possible Interim Managers, including former Bridgton Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz. Berkowitz told her he is now working in Rangeley, but that he might be available to help once they have chosen a new town manager.

Of the other two people Caparco contacted, she said one lives in Millinocket and does not want to travel, and Bob Bensen lives in Ipswich, Mass.

Merhalski resigned following an extended controversy over his management that dated back to his hiring in October 2014.