In Kennebunk, Wells and York, the search is on for new town managers

YORK COUNTY — Three coastal communities are currently sharing one goal in common: each is on the hunt for a new town manager.

The towns of Wells, Kennebunk and York all need new leaders at the helms of their governments. In Wells, Town Manager Larissa Crockett recently had her last day on the job after less than two years of service. In Kennebunk, Town Manager Michael Pardue is retiring this fall. And in York, Town Manager Steve Burns recently announced that he will retire even sooner, on Aug. 1.

Kennebunk

This Tuesday, June 7, the Kennebunk Select Board will hold a special meeting to discuss selecting a firm to conduct the search for Pardue’s successor. The meeting will be held virtually on Zoom and will start at 6:30 p.m. Pardue said on Thursday morning that the agenda is expected to be posted on the town’s website by Friday.

“It’s anticipated that the Select Board will be presented with a recommendation,” Pardue said.

Three firms – Municipal Resources, Inc., of Plymouth, New Hampshire, Strategic Government Resources, of Keller, Texas, and GovHRUSA, of Northbrook, Illinois – have applied for the task, according to Pardue.

Once selected, the firm and the town will recruit applicants over a period of three or four months, Pardue added. The hope is that the successful candidate can be selected and can start this fall, likely between mid-October and mid-November.

Pardue, who announced his retirement in January, said he will stay on as manager until his successor is chosen.

“The most important thing is to ensure a smooth transition,” he said. “I plan to remain as a resource to the level that is appropriate.”

Wells

Crockett officially had her last day as town manager on May 26. According to Select Board Chair Sean Roche, she resigned because she has accepted a new job in another community.

Bill Giroux is currently serving as interim town manager until her successor is chosen.

This Wednesday, June 8, the Wells Select Board will hold a public meeting to give residents, business owners and members of organizations a chance to share what they consider the major issues and most pressing challenges the town is facing in the next five years.

Participants also will be given an opportunity to express the qualities, education, background and experience they would like to see in the next town manager.

The meeting will be held on the Littlefield Meeting Room at Wells Town Hall at 208 Sanford Road that evening at 6 p.m.

Don Gerrish, of Eaton Peabody Consulting Group in Augusta, will facilitate the meeting. Gerrish will present an overview of the search process the Select Board will follow.

Those who are unable to attend can email their comments and questions to Gerrish at dgerrish@eatonpeabody.com.

Applications for the new manager position are due by Wednesday, June 15, according to Gerrish. The Select Board hopes to start interviewing candidates during the week of June 27.

“We hope to name a new manager by the end of July,” Gerrish said. “When the person will start will depend on their current job and how much notice they will need to give.”

York

Back in March, Burns informed the York Select Board that he would be retiring this summer, with plans to leave municipal work behind in favor of a less stressful work life. Burns has served as town manager since 2014.

Burns said on Thursday that the Select Board recently selected Gerrish and Eaton Peabody to lead the search for his successor.

“He’s great at this stuff,” Burns said of Gerrish. “This is what he does.”

Burns said the town hopes to have a new manager in place sometime this fall.

Noting his own impending departure and those of Crockett and Pardue, Burns added the field of municipal management is in a period of transition. He described the current dynamic of their field as “amazing . . . it’s challenging.”

“You’re going to see a lot of new managers coming in,” he said.

But change can be good, he added.

“There’s always an opportunity to make improvements with change,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Kennebunk, Wells and York, Maine searching for new town managers