By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — More than three years ago, it was Ephrem Paraschak’s resume that caught the attention of the committee charged with finding a new town manager for the Town of Naples.

At the time, former Naples Town Manager Derik Goodine was heading to Bucksport — a decision that was made in late April 2014. Goodine left at the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30; and Paraschak took over the Naples Town Manager job on July 1, 2014.

Now, it is Paraschak who is privy to the incoming resumes for the next Naples Town Manager.

Paraschak is poised to move on in his career, having been chosen for the station being vacated by the retirement of longtime Gorham Town Manager, David Cole.

Although Paraschak will be available to assist with the transition, he officially starts his new job in Gorham on Sept. 1.

On Monday, Paraschak told the Naples Board of Selectmen that seven applications had been turned in.

The selectmen hired a consultant firm to handle the initial steps of the hiring process.

Friday is the deadline for any professional interested in the open position in this lakefront town.

“I did ask the consultant. As of last Monday, there were seven applications,” Paraschak said. “He told me a lot of people wait until a day or two before” the deadline.

The job of the firm hired by the town will be to weed out the less likely applications and narrow down the candidate pool for the board, Paraschak said.

Selectman Bob Caron II suggested that the town clerk could step in — as has been done in the past.

Paraschak asked, “Does the board want to officially extend that to town clerk?”

Caron said he thought that would be a good safety net.

“Let us have the options. There is not a lot on the town clerk’s plate” this time of year, he said.

Grattelo said, “There is not a lot on the plate from a budget standpoint.

But, there is a lot of day-to-day stuff from department heads.”

“If we only have seven applicants, this process might not unfold as quickly as we had hoped,” Chairman Grattelo said.