Kennebunk's new town manager: 'I'm really excited to be here' after Colorado move

KENNEBUNK, Maine — Of all the levels of government, it’s at the local one that the real work happens, according to Heather Balser, the new town manager of Kennebunk.

“At the federal and at the state level, it’s just harder to feel like you have an impact,” Balser said. “But you can still come to Town Hall anytime, and you can actually engage with your elected officials.”

For example, Balser added, people can walk right into the town manager’s office and share concerns they have, or say, “I’m so excited you’re doing this – we need to do more of it.”

“And so, this is actually where the works get done,” Balser said.

Balser had her first day on the job on Monday, Feb. 6. She arrived in Maine from Colorado on Feb. 1, just in time for that subzero cold snap that hit Kennebunk and the region days later. She and her husband, Grant, currently are renting an apartment in town while they seek to sell the home they had back in Colorado.

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The Kennebunk Select Board announced Balser as the next town manager in December. She rose to the top of the town’s search process, which included fielding resumes from around the country, whittling the list down to a group of finalists, conducting interviews, and even holding a meet-and-greet forum at the Town Hall in November.

In December, Select Board Vice Chair Kortney Nedeau described Balser as a “managerial visionary,” who is experienced, versatile, organized, thorough, and someone who wants to be a collaborator with the town’s department heads and others.

“She gets it,” Nedeau said.

Balser succeeds Michael Pardue, who stepped down in November and is now the town manager of Wells.

Previously, Balser served as the city manager of Louisville, Colorado, a city of 21,000, from 2017 through 2021. She served in that city government for more than 20 years, holding numerous positions, including deputy city manager, before taking the helm in 2017. From 2021 until her arrival here in Maine, Balser worked for initiatives that addressed homelessness, affordable housing and transportation in the city of Greeley, Colorado.

When you meet Balser, make sure to say, “Welcome home,” as opposed to “Welcome to Maine.” Balser is a native of Vacationland, born and raised in Portland and educated at Bates College, from which she has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. Growing up, Balser and her family attended Prelude in the Kennebunks many times during the holidays, she said.

Balser also has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado at Denver.

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Balser and her husband have two grown children, a 23-year-old daughter, who is a fifth-grade teacher in Indiana, and a 21-year-old son, who is majoring in engineering at Purdue University. Balser said she is happy to be back in Maine, where she has family nearby and can enjoy the beach.

Looking to the business ahead, Balser said she is impressed by the town’s new Comprehensive Plan, which voters approved in 2022. She said she is looking forward to working with others to develop a work plan to put the document’s suggestions and recommendations into operation.

“Now you’ve got to prioritize, and you’ve got to implement,” she said. “I would say one of my strengths is that I’m an implementer. I look at the steps that go before and the steps that go after, to strategize and really work to figure out how to accomplish the task ... You have to decide what is the top priority, and then go after it and get it done, so that you can go on to the next thing.”

Balser said she is looking forward to delving into the town’s budget, which is currently moving through workshops among local officials.

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On Tuesday, Feb. 7, she attended her first joint meeting of the Select Board and Budget Board. She said she wants the town to develop a long-term vision of its budgeting – to see what a five-year projection, or even a ten-year one, would look like. She added that she wants to find the best way to strategize, build relationships, and coordinate how best to use the town’s funds and meet the community’s needs.

“I’m a numbers person,” she said.

And she’s a “relationship person” too, she added – someone who enjoys meeting people and building connections with them.

Balser said she learned a lot about leadership from two city managers with whom she worked out west and also gained knowledge from department heads and others she has known throughout her career. She said she admires former First Lady Michelle Obama.

“She’s a trailblazer,” Balser said. “She’s still herself when she has to be a certain persona – she still projects who she is. And she raised kids in the White House. God bless her.”

Balser said she enjoys hiking and reading. Murder mysteries are her favorite, she said – she lit up when told about Mainely Murders, the local bookstore that specializes in the genre. Expect to see her at the local library, located diagonally across from her office at Town Hall. Balser also said she has her eye on those Adirondack chairs that sit atop the front steps of Town Hall during the warmer months.

“I love the downtown,” Balser said of her new hometown and place of work. “I’m really excited to be here. It’s a wonderful, beautiful community. Everybody I have met has been wonderful.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Heather Balser begins work as Kennebunk, Maine's new town manager