Town set to appoint interim town manager

September 12, 2011

KITTERY, Maine — The Town Council is expected tonight to appoint a former Topsham town manager as its interim town manager.

Town Manager Jon Carter is leaving in two weeks to take his old job as Wells town manager.

The council, which has met in executive session to discuss proposals by professional recruiting firms, chose to enter into an agreement with Eaton Peabody Consulting Group of Augusta. According to the agreement the council is expected to sign today, former Topsham Town Manager James Ashe will be appointed on an interim basis upon Carter's departure.

Ashe, who served as superintendent of Brunswick schools before heading to Topsham, worked as town manager for three years, leaving last December. He will work for the town up to three days a week and will attend council meetings. He will be paid a per-diem rate of $400.

Don Gerrish, retired town manager of Brunswick, will work on the search for a new town manager. Both Gerrish and Ashe are independent contractors working for Eaton Peabody.

The contract between Eaton Peabody and the town for recruitment services is for $4,500, plus expenses.

Gerrish said Friday that a search "typically takes two to 2½ months." Eaton Peabody will advertise in publications of the International City Managers Association and the Maine Municipal Association. It will review all the applications and cull out the most qualified candidates for the town. Once a candidate has been chosen, it may be necessary for that person to give up to a month's notice, he said.

Courtesy of Seacoastonline.com

By Deborah Mcdermott

dmcdermott@seacoastonline.com