The prospects for hiring an economic and community development director for Farrell look bright as 16 people have applied.

After the job was rejected by a qualified candidate, the position was readvertised. The new applicants are from Farrell and other areas, said City Manager LaVon Saternow.

Council recently waived a residency mandate for the position.

In the past, council was divided over waiving or altering the policy that required city employees to live in Farrell.

But with the work now being shared between the city and Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, opening the job to residents outside Farrell makes sense because the job may require some days in Farrell and some days elsewhere, said Mayor William Morocco.

Some candidates who had applied under the old residency requirement withdrew their applications after learning they would be required to move to the city within a year. Those applicants were allowed to reapply, but none did by the June 30 deadline.

Finding a qualified person is a job of its own, Mrs. Saternow said.

Past candidates, while they appeared to be good workers, lacked the experience officials hoped for. And by offering a salary of $32,000 to $35,000, similar to what a recent college graduate might get, it's even harder to secure someone with experience, she said.

The state sets certain requirements candidates must have to qualify. In addition to education and experience, applicants must be able to deal with Community Development Block Grant programs.

"It's tough to find somebody with all those qualifications that they would like us to have," Mrs. Saternow said.

Waiving the residency requirement was suggested by Fred Reddig, local government policy manager for the Department of Community and Economic Development's Center for Local Government Services.

"He felt it was not an unreasonable demand to make. The most important thing is to get the best-qualified person for the job," Mrs. Saternow said.

The state is providing a three-year grant totaling $83,830 to help pay for the full-time position and has not set a deadline for the position to be filled. The director's duties would include administering the urban renewal project and block grant program and handling business loans, in addition to performing tasks assigned by the planning commission.

The 16 applications will be reviewed fairly soon, Mrs. Saternow said. The city has not had a director since July 1997.