More than 170 people have applied to be the Sykesville town manager.
Candidates with backgrounds in politics, business and the military are vying for the $40,000-a-year job.
"We are scared to invite some to town," Mayor Jonathan Herman said with a laugh. "One guy said he was looking forward to furthering his aerospace career here."
James L. Schumacher, the town's first and only manager since 1984, is resigning Feb. 28 to start a consulting company. The application deadline was Tuesday, but it seems unlikely that a successor will be in place before Mr. Schumacher's departure.
Although it may mean operating without a manager for a few weeks, the mayor and a committee of three council members are determined "to take our time and find the right person for town," said Councilwoman Julie Kaus.
"Jim has promised to stay available and accessible to help us, if we need him," she said. "The staff is prepared and everyone is sharing some of his tasks now. The town could function for a while without a manager."
The committee hopes to begin interviews late next week.
Advertisements in several newspapers and in the Maryland Municipal League newsletter generated the response.
"We wrote an open-ended ad purposely," said the mayor.
"We didn't want to select from a narrow pool."
Mayor Herman and the committee members said they were not surprised so many people would consider a job in the town of 3,000 residents.
"Sykesville is located along a politically charged corridor," the mayor said.
"A lot of people voted out of office recently have staffs who would qualify for a position here."
Committee members, who have each selected several candidates to interview, have found many of their choices overlap. Still, they will probably interview about 20 candidates.
Councilman Michael Burgoyne, who also is helping in the search, said most applicants fall into one of two groups.
"Either they are winding down, but not yet ready to retire or moving up and in search of more experience," he said. "Many appear willing to compromise on salary in exchange for experience or a slower pace."
With a good benefits package, the $40,000 salary "adds up to a figure that is not all that bad," said Mr. Burgoyne.
A number of candidates are overqualified, the mayor said. Many have managerial experience with large corporations. Others are retiring from the military after supervising "500 men and a $4 million budget," he said.
"Quality doesn't seem to be a problem," said Mayor Herman. "A good portion of the applicants are qualified, incredibly qualified. It's just a matter of finding the right person to fit the right shoe."
Although no town managers have applied, several candidates listed city planning in their resumes. Many have a master's degree in business administration or advanced degrees in public information, said Mr. Burgoyne.
"There are also a fair amount of women," he said.
"We want someone who is upbeat, and willing to work for our town," the mayor said.
The committee members will all participate in the interviews, which they said will be a truer test.
"Resumes can be deceptive," said Mr. Burgoyne. "The interview process is essential."
The process also will narrow the search, said the mayor. He hopes to invite as few as five people back to the Town House for a second round of interviews.