Brunswick officials are seeking citizen input as they search for a new town manager.
John Eldridge, who has held the position since 2014, is retiring on Jan. 31. Town Finance Director Julia Heinz will serve in an interim role until a replacement is found, a process that is expected to take three to four months.
The search will be conducted by the Town Council-appointed Executive Recruitment Committee and Texas-based Strategic Government Resources, a national recruitment firm the council contracted with. Officials will rely on interviews with “key stakeholders” in the community and a public survey to determine the traits desired in a new manager.
The survey is online at surveymonkey.com/r/MFR9R5K. It’s active through Friday.
“We feel that it is critical to include the public in this process and because of their involvement, we are confident that we will find the right person,” town Human Resources Director Jody Durisko said in a statement. “The process will be a comprehensive effort that draws from a national pool of candidates.”
Durisko is a member of the recruitment committee, as are councilors Abby King and Sande Updegraph; former Mid Coast-Parkview Health President Lois Skillings; Cathy Barter, a senior vice president at Bangor Savings Bank; and Russ Wrede, a former member of the Brunswick Police Department.
The council recently approved a contract for Eldridge to serve as a consultant for a 10-hour-a-week stipend to assist Heinz as she serves in the interim role.
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