Heather Balser, who will start her job as Kennebunk town manager Feb. 6, talked about listening, open government, and more in a telephone interview from her home in Colorado. Courtesy photo
KENNEBUNK – As Heather Balser prepares to take up her new role as Kennebunk town manager in early February, she said she has been doing her homework – reviewing meetings and documents and getting a glimpse of municipal operations.
Come Feb. 6, that glimpse will expand in a big way.
That is the day Balser, 52, begins her new gig here on the East Coast after many years in Colorado.
“It’s important to dive in and listen and learn and ask a lot of questions,” said Balser who grew up in Portland and graduated from Bates College before moving west. “You need to deep dive and understand what is working and what can work better. That’s exciting.”
Balser signed a three-year contract with the town on Dec. 21, one day after the select board’s unanimous vote to hire her from a field of five finalists.
As a Portlander, she grew up spending time in Kennebunk, particularly during the summer, and that continued on visits back home throughout her years in Colorado.
“It’s a beautiful place, with lovely people,” and great amenities like the downtown areas, the beaches, library and more, she said in a telephone interview from her Colorado home on Dec. 22.
Balser has worked in municipal government for more than 24 years, mostly for the city of Louisville, Colorado, first as assistant city manager then deputy, then city manager. Its population, at 20,000, is larger than Kennebunk, which was pegged by the U.S. Census with a population of 11,699 on July 1, 2021. After leaving that position in August 2021, she worked in a nearby community as an interim resiliency officer on issues including homelessness and affordable housing.
She said in some ways the municipal government structure is different. Louisville has a city council/manager form of government and Kennebunk a select board and town meeting, but there are similarities.
“The format and intent around transparency and open government are taken seriously here in Boulder County, and I take that very seriously,” she said.
She said she wants to make sure people know what is taking place in their municipal government.
“It is critical to make sure people know what is happening, to make sure people know what we’re doing,” said Balser. “And there’s process – so we’ve got to take the two together. I think engagement is critical and process is important, but they shouldn’t hold each other up, either. Implementation is as important as the process.”
Balser is married and she and her husband have two adult children, a daughter who is a fifth-grade teacher in Indianapolis and a son who is a junior studying engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
“I came west when I graduated from Bates, met my husband and worked for a great organization here,” she said. “I felt it was time to take my skills and experience to a new organization.”
The couple plans to live in Kennebunk. Balser said she expects to rent initially as they look for a new home.
In her spare time, Balser said she is an avid reader and she and her husband love to hike and travel.
“I’m excited to walk the beach as often as I can. I haven’t done that in a long time,” Balser said. “I am really excited to get to know the community. I’m looking for opportunities to engage with folks and am excited to be in Kennebunk.”
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