BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Baldwin County Commissioners on Tuesday chose six candidates for the Emergency Management Agency director’s post and will begin interviews June 16.

Seventy-one candidates from across the nation applied for the position, vacated by Melvin Stringfellow’s April resignation.

Each Commissioner brought five candidates to the table for Tuesday’s special meeting. Two of the candidates were chosen by three commissioners, at least two commissioners picked three, and Commissioner Tucker Dorsey added another candidate.

Personnel director Andrea Rider will call each person, provide releases for background checks, then schedule interviews. She said the interviews will be public and begin June 16 at 1 p.m. at the Baldwin County Emergency Operations Center, 23100 McAuliffe Drive, in Robertsdale.

Interviews may continue June 17 at 8:30 a.m.

The Commission authorized up to $750 for travel expenses for the contract employee position.

Applicants chosen for interviews are:

• Paul W. Fay, of Marietta, Ga., who served the Federal Emergency Management Agency as director of the response and recovery division in Atlanta from October 2000 until his retirement in May 2007.

• Charles Douglas Bass, of Boynton Beach, Fla., who has 25 years of experience in emergency management, and taught emergency management as a FEMA-certified instructor.

• Charles R. Murph, of Monroeville, who is the assistant director of interoperable communications for the Alabama Department of Homeland Security.

• Karen Blackwood, of Atoka, Tenn., who has been an emergency management officer for the U.S. Navy since June 2007, and holds a master’s degree in emergency management.

• Milton Wayne Fairley, of Denton, Texas, who is retiring from FEMA this month. He lists 30 years of military and civilian service and extensive teaching experience in emergency management.

• Edwin Stanton, of New Orleans and a U.S. Coast Guard commander. He has directed hazmat and oil spill response teams, and supervised personnel in cleanups project in the aftermath of hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Rider said Bass and Murph were chosen by three commissioners, Fay was added by Commissioner Tucker Dorsey and the other three candidates received a nod from at least two commissioners.