Select Board will interview TA candidates Wednesday — and make a choice

Three men will enter a virtual room with the Select Board, one by one, on Wednesday. By the end of the night, one will likely emerge as Grafton’s next Town Administrator.

The Select Board will interview Evan Brassard at 5:15 p.m., Joshua Garcia at 6:15 p.m., and Ari Sky at 7:15 p.m., discuss the finalists, and make a decision who will receive the job offer.

Grafton has been without a town administrator since July, when Tim McInerney and the Select Board announced a mutual parting of the ways after nearly a decade. The The three men were winnowed down from a field of 33 after a search led by Community Paradigm Associates and an appointed Town Administrator Selection Committee. Seven were interviewed by the committee.

The candidates include:

Evan Brassard, Town Administrator of Monson — Brassard received his bachelor’s degree in political science from UMass Amherst in 2010 and his masters in public administration from Anna Maria College in 2012. He became town administrator in 2014 after three years as the town’s emergency management director, and oversaw the $10 million construction of the new town offices/police department, which were damaged beyond repair by the 2011 tornado. He also oversaw the town’s first capital plan and worked to increase the bond rating.

Joshua Garcia, Town Administrator of Blandford — Garcia received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Westfield State University in 2008 and his master’s in public administration from Westfield in 2012. He was hired as town administrator in 2018 after serving as municipal services manager for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

Ari Sky, Chief Financial Officer of New Bedford — Sky received his bachelor’s degree in politics and history from Brandeis University in 1987 and his masters in public administrator from American University. He has been chief financial officer for the city of New Bedford since 2013 and previously held several positions in management and finance in several Virginia counties.