Kennebunk Town Manager Barry Tibbetts has informed selectmen that he will not seek renewal of his contract when it expires next June.
Tibbetts said he gave early notice last week because he wanted the selectmen to have ample time to find his replacement.
Tibbetts was hired in 1993 as Kennebunk’s tax assessor and was appointed town manager in 1998. He is one of the few managers in the state who has served a single community for nearly a quarter-century.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the board, residents, volunteers and businesses of Kennebunk for nearly 24 years,” Tibbetts said in a statement issued by the town. “I am very grateful to the community.”
The Board of Selectmen said Tibbetts “ushered the town of Kennebunk into the 21st century, developed policies that have spurred economic development creating over 700 jobs, and revitalized the downtown and village centers.”
Selectmen said he also rebuilt two seawalls that protect the beach area, had a role in the regionalization of emergency dispatch services, consolidated functions within town government, and helped Kennebunk maintain a bond rating of AAA through most of the last decade.
In 2011, Tibbetts was named manager of the year by the Maine Town, City and County Management Association.
“Barry’s vision over the last two decades has turned Kennebunk into a destination for businesses, new residents and visitors from around the world,” Richard Morin, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said in a prepared statement. “We continue to hear from our residents that the quality of life in Kennebunk is second to none. Much of this is credited to Barry’s leadership and management.”
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