MILLERTON — North East Town Board members are preparing to start the search for a new Highway Superintendent nearly three months after longtime Superintendent Bob Stevens’s death in April.
The North East Town Board is set to vote on the job posting at a regular meeting scheduled for July 9 at 7 p.m. Board members are expected to remove a town residency requirement in order to widen the pool of candidates.
Board members raised concerns last week regarding the proximity of prospective hires, citing the emergency contact role of the position in the town’s hazard mitigation plan. The posted job description will highlight the necessity of candidates residing close to the town without specifying an exact allotted mile or time measurement. The acceptable distance will be determined on a case by case basis when sifting through applicants, board members said.
The Town of North East’s Highway Superintendent position is appointed rather than elected, making the town an outlier in Dutchess County.
This proposed change to in-town residency requirements will only affect the superintendent position, not other future town hires. If approved on July 9, the changed local law can be implemented immediately following the meeting’s conclusion, board members said.
Hiring will not be conducted until August following the meeting on Aug. 13.
The board is in the process of finalizing the official job posting. It still must be determined if state law requires that a salary range and benefits package be included in the listing. The town’s 2026 adopted budget recorded an annual salary of $75,000 for the position.
The listing will be posted both in the newspaper and online at the hiring website Indeed.com.
Justine and Victor Valla in their studio with a painting of Victor’s,”Jonah and the Whale.” Robin Roraback 
A ceramic vase by Kathleen Heidemann.Provided 
Joy Brown’s delightful ceramic sculptures.Provided 
