HERMON, Maine — Hermon’s town manager for the past decade has accepted a similar job in Auburn.
Clinton Deschene, 39, was one of two finalists for the Auburn city manager position, which opened up in October, when city councilors terminated former City Manager Glenn Aho’s contract.
Deschene informed Hermon town councilors that he had been offered the Auburn post on Monday.
Deschene said Monday night that his last day on the job in Hermon will be Friday, June 15, and that he will assume his new position on Monday, June 18.
Deschene said the decision to move south was not an easy one to make.
“I’m a family guy,” Deschene said. “Moving your family is something you don’t take lightly.”
Deschene and his wife, Jennifer, have a 6-year-old daughter, Reagen, and a 2-year-old son, Duke.
Deschene said he is looking forward to the challenges that will come with running a larger community with a larger staff.
Deschene is a 1991 graduate of Presque Isle High School and a 1995 graduate of the University of Maine, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English and political science. He earned a law degree from Suffolk University Law School in Boston in 1998. His landed his first manager job in June 1999 in Bradford and was tapped to serve as Hermon’s top administrator in July 2002.
Hermon Town Council Chairman Timothy McCluskey said councilors will meet in the near future to come up with a plan for finding Deschene’s successor.
“I hate to see him leave,” McCluskey said. “There’s no question that the town has improved [during his tenure]. He’s very frugal and he does more than most town managers do. It’s going to be a challenge to find a successor. Hermon’s a great community to be a manager in. We’re growing and we’re next to Bangor.”
While McCluskey noted that Deschene will have a higher salary as Auburn’s manager, “I know it wasn’t about money. It was pretty obvious that he was ready to go.”
Auburn Mayor Jonathan LaBonte told the Lewiston Sun Journal that city councilors and Deschene settled on a three-year contract paying Deschene $94,000 per year. That amount increases to $97,000 after six months and $99,000 after completing his first year. The contract also reportedly pays Deschene $70 per month for a cellphone, a $400-per-month car allowance and paid membership in the International Association of City Managers, a professional development group.
Deschene said that after having worked for the same town for a decade, he is ready for new challenges.
“Hermon has been a fine place to learn the different aspects of municipal government but it’s exciting to be going to the second-largest population base in Maine,” Deschene said, referring to the Lewiston-Auburn area.
The other finalist for the Auburn post was Benjamin Marchant, 36, former city administrator from Jerome, Idaho, according to a news story published in the Sun Journal.
Too bad to see him leave he has been a good servent to the Town of Hermon and its people. I wish him luck in his new endevor in Auburn. whats a Red Eddie?
Hermon is the loser for this ,thank you town councilor who has cost the the town money to have a law firm to start a national search,with your constant sniping and unprofessional conduct at meetings ,the councilors were also asked to not talk about this until thursday night,but one councilor is a known media hound, in lock step with known rabble rousers in town,he should be forced to resign ,it isnt the first time he has revealed executive session or private info, proven in a recent council meeting,when one of the trouble makers refused to answer, when asked, if he had been shown the town check book,this town councilor went pale when that happened. Resign NOW !
Ace, wait until the dust settles and I’m sure you will not think so highly of Clint. More to come.
I have worked with Clint. Instead of inuendo and false information why don’t you post some facts and information. Our taxes have gone down since Clint has been in office. He has always been honest and forthright with me.
Why don’t you give us some real details instead of saying “more to come’….oh wait, there is nothing more. Just trying to cause unneccessary drama, that’s right.
A Red Eddie is what the townspeople are going to see when they get the bill for the lawyers fees to fix this screw up, 11.9 taxes and they drive off the person responsible for it
Ace, Clint was all about building his resume. He wanted to take over Hermon Rescue at taxpayer expense, build a full-time public works department at taxpayer expense, supported a $6.5MM recreational center that would have cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to maintain, and was opposed to bringing natural gas into Hermon because of certain business relationships. If not for the residents and a few councilors, Clint would have gladly increased the mill rate to 20+. I dare you to ask the councilors why they are opposed to natural gas – it would save the School Department $200,000 per year alone. Think how many teachers could be hired or textbooks provided with that money.
I can not understand why people are so stupid as to not see some of the things that go on,
I can see you are a pretty smart person.
I dont see why you feel building a resume is a negative thing. As far as plowing and rescue go its time for this town to look at some professionals that can provide decent services. from what I can see of the roads the current contractor cant plow worth two cents. rescue couldnt function without the help of Bangor fire, a professional full time service. Its time for hermon to move ahead and clint was doing that.
you truly are clueless he lowered the mil by 4 after he came here ,not raised it 2 he doesnt set the spending council does,3 lots of cities own their own rescue ,it makes money thats why ,never mind the sentimental crap .and if hermon rescue wants to be independent, then stop sucking off hermon finances,either make it or close up,no subsidies.what really upset them was when they were asked to show the expenditures,if they was going to ask for 60 thousand.its them that has something to hide not the mgr.
auburn town employess should get ready to work for one of the nicest guys they will ever meet ,zero ego,”county friendly , and smart he will make the town money guaranteed
Congratulations, Clinton. You have done a great job in Hermon. Auburn is lucky to have you at the helm.
Wishing you and your family the best, Clint, as you proceed to the two hours’ drive south.
Old time, taxes were 16 when he arrived 11 something when he is leaving whats wrong with that picture ? And they all wanna pad their resume.Stop listening to the attention freaks and granstanders at the town meetings.As for the schools a lot of them are over funded Hermon is no different
Clint, Congrats and well deserved … Hermon was lucky to have you and Auburn will benefit …
Yes! Send the corruption to the south!
We don’t want it anymore around here!!
SO GLAD HAMPDEN DIDN’T HIRE THIS GUY FOR TOWN MANAGER HERE!!!
Funny…he was looking to go to Auburn AT THE SAME TIME he was pledging his undying loyalty to Hampden.Geesh.
There are some very smart people around and you are one of them.
first of all you aint even from hampden imo your from hermon and trying to distract us from guessing who you are ,when in reality your one of the rabble rousers.keep it coming .
‘babble rouser’ whatever the heck that means…???
If it means…rooting out corruption in local gov’t…yip Guilty as charged!!
By the way, what does it matter WHERE I am from???
when your elected to something your supposed to act like it too btw ! wait until the new mgr finds out that one of the rabble rousers has a son that gets no bid contracts and wants more ,then his gig will be over with. justice will come around.
The lies that are spewed by granstanders at the meetings and on here are the exact reason why Livermore banned all public comment at meetings.More towns should do the same,they they wont lose quality leaders driven off by about 8 or 10 people in the whole town.
Only because most people dont like the truth.
lets see i counted 4 or 5 on here posting over and over ,bashing someone and something they have no clue about , the same small bunch of 8 or 10 that drove him off .No one else is as smart as them in town,what a joke,disgruntled ex employees and people that want attention
Could not have said it better myself!
People ‘who’ want attention.
Too bad to see ya leave, good luck down south
where all the comments from last night this was hilarious,seeing people outted on their comments/baloney
Attacks from unamed people are are ok but when that person is identified they get removed?
Yep its ok by the bdn if you absoulutely ruin someones repuatation with lies and accusations ,,but when its pointed out that someone is totally lacking credibilty and the reasons for it they delete it instead they should ban the personal attackers!