By Perry Schaible
Enquirer contributor

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP - Trustees have interviewed five candidates for the township administrator job, but aren't ready yet to make their choice.

No decision was made at the township meeting Wednesday. Trustees said they plan to set up more interviews for June 24.

"Some could be new, but more than likely the majority of those will be second interviews," said trustee president and acting township administrator Christine Matacic said. The trustees met Wednesday in executive session.

Personal interviews have been done with five candidates - Dina Minneci, finance director for the city of Wyoming; Kevin Celarek, township administrator for Green Township; Bruce Henry, former administrator and safety director in Blue Ash; Jim Koshmider, former safety service director in Mount Healthy, and Curt Paddock, Clermont County economic development director.

Ted Plattenburg, of Cincinnati-based Angus Group, said the effort is continuing.

"The point is that we want to find the best administrator that's available for Liberty Township ... we're not going to close the interview process until we make a decision," Plattenburg said.

The township has been working with the Angus Group, a professional search firm, since former Administrator Barry Tiffany was fired in January for the misuse of township property.

Matacic said there are basic criteria the township wants the successful candidate to have, such as a background in economic development and administration, the ability to build a staff, and experience working with different governmental organizations.

Trustee Bob Shelley said he'd like a "take-charge type of person, a person that can get things done on his or her own."

"We're not going to find that certain individual that suits all three of us to a 'T'," he said.

Matacic said there is an "outside chance" that an offer will be made by July 1, the original target date to have the position filled.