LUMBERTON — Three Robeson County municipalities are working to fill the position of top administrator.

Maxton has received 11 applications for the position of town manager, Town Clerk Michael Cousar said. The position is being filled by interim Town Manager Angela Pitchford

The position was left vacant after the Maxton Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 15 to fire Roosevelt Henegan. Henegan started the job as Maxton town manager on Aug. 1, 2019. He replaced Town Manager Kate Bordeaux, who resigned May 13, 2019, after becoming the target of growing criticism from residents.

The North Carolina League of Municipalities is assisting in the search for a new town manager, and will present applications to the Board of Commissioners, Cousar said.

The deadline for submitting an application for the position is Feb. 11 and resumes will be given to commissioners on Feb. 18, the town clerk said. The Board of Commissioners will select candidates for interviews on Feb. 22. The interview process could continue through March.

“I think the League being a part of the process is a great move,” Cousar said.

The League can help the town find the right candidate for the job, he said.

The town is searching for a candidate with a bachelor’s degree in public administration, business, finance or a “closely related field.” Two years of experience as a municipal administrator and someone with a master’s degree in public administration is preferred. The person is expected to move to the “Maxton vicinity upon hire,” according to the job advertisement.

St. Pauls is searching for a town administrator to fill the position currently held by interim Town Administrator Debra McNeill.

Former Town Administrator Rodney Johnson submitted a letter of resignation in August and served his last day on Aug. 28. A reason behind his resignation has yet to be provided. Johnson assumed the role in May 2019.

McNeill estimated Wednesday that the town has received 10 applications for the job.

The town posted the job description to Indeed, Lumber River Council of Governments and NCLM sites, she said.

The town’s Personnel Committee will select candidates to be interviewed and present a list of those candidates to the Board of Commissioners, she said.

A timeline has not been established for that process, McNeill said.

According to the posting on the town’s website, candidates “must possess strong management skills, leadership, excellent communication skills with knowledge of code enforcement, zoning, HR, budget, economic development, possess strong grant writing and administrative grant skills and able to manage multiple projects continually.”

The person hired must live in St. Pauls after accepting the job.

Fairmont voted Jan. 19 to hire Henry “Hank” Raper to fill the town manager role held by interim Town Manager Ricky Harris. As of Monday afternoon, the town was working to negotiate a contract with Raper. The Robesonian could not obtain updates on the contract talks on Wednesday.

Raper lives in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and has experience working in the North Carolina towns of Erwin and Pittsboro. He also served as the town manager of Nashville, North Carolina. Raper holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a Juris Doctorate degree.

On April 6, 2020, Former Town Manager Katrina Tatum turned in a notice of her intention to retire effective May 7, 2020. She had served the town of Fairmont in various capacities: as code enforcement officer from 2000 to 2006, and interim town manager in 2003 before she was replaced in June 2006. She returned Feb. 1, 2016, to serve as town manager.

Her decision came after a March 17, 2020, Board of Commissioners meeting in which she chose to stay after a heated debate over the her contract and a vote to end it.