On Tuesday, the Board of Selectmen discussed the process for interviewing candidates to sit on the committee charged with reviewing and making suggestions to the Selectmen for a request for proposals for the construction of senior affordable housing at the Westfield property in West Wareham.

In October, following the presentation of a now disbanded committee that examined options for the Westfield land,Town Meeting approved the use of the land for senior housing, and decided that a new committee would be formed to work with the Board of Selectmen in drafting the specifications of the bid request and reviewing received bids.

The new committee will serve as an advisory board to the Board of Selectmen, which will ultimately submit the request for contractors' bids. Selectman Steve Holmes Tuesday requested that the committee send a representative to each meeting of the Selectmen to provide an update about the committee's work.

Eighteen residents have already submitted applications for the seven-person committee. The deadline to submit applications is February 1. Applications can be downloaded on the Town of Wareham website at www.wareham.ma.us, or picked up in the Board of Selectmen's office on the second floor of Town Hall.

Everyone who applies will have an opportunity to interview with the Board of Selectmen for five to eight minutes during one of the board's upcoming meetings. Each of the Selectmen will ask candidates two questions. The interviewing process will last for three weeks, with six applicants interviewing per meeting, the Selectmen decided.

Holmes said he is optimistic that the selection process will be efficient. If all goes as planned, the committee will be in place before March and will have four weeks to make suggestions to the Selectmen before the board submits a bid request to Town Administrator Mark Andrews on April 1.