BEAVER, Beaver County — A Washington, D.C., firm will be paid $48,000 to find a new president for the Community College of Beaver County.

The Beaver County Times reported that college trustees voted Tuesday to hire R.H. Perry & Associates, an executive search firm specializing in higher education, to find a replacement for President Joe Forrester, who announced last month he will retire in June 2014.

Trustees said the cost of the search likely will go higher because of other expenses, such as travel and advertising.

In April, the trustees voted to direct Forrester to “initiate conversations” with Butler County Community College President Nick Neupauer and the BC3 trustees to gauge their interest in a merger of the two colleges.

Both Neupauer and Forrester have said the latter’s pending retirement will have no effect on any merger decision the colleges may make.

The Beaver college has given BC3 administrators until June 30 to decide whether official discussions will take place on the matter.