HOULTON, Maine — While the community is still without a permanent leader four months after the former town manager resigned to take a job in the private sector, town councilors on Monday evening said they were getting closer to hiring someone to take over the position.
During a brief meeting at the Town Office, Council Chairman Paul Cleary filled the public in on the search for a replacement for Doug Hazlett, who resigned as manager in March after seven years in the position.
Cleary said the town recently had accepted a second round of applications as part of the search process, which has generated interest from 34 applicants. The council met in executive session after Monday evening’s regular meeting to review the applications and start the interview process.
The chairman said the council was pleased with the experience level of the applicants and was anxious to find someone with the right fit for the town.
“We want a new town manager soon,” Cleary said.
Hazlett was hired in March 2005 and took over just as the town was poised to negotiate new contracts with employees in all five of its municipal departments. He helped to complete the building of infrastructure to extend water and sewer systems to serve some North Road businesses, and helped lure new businesses to that area and others in town. He helped to create new sidewalks in the community and rebuild existing ones, and he also worked to get the state to repair a section of Route 2A known as Bangor Street after the project had been delayed for eight years.
Hazlett also was instrumental in creating a number of tax increment financing districts in the community and in finding money to improve Riverfront Park near the downtown.
Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary is serving as interim town manager. She has held the position several times before.
Doug Hazlett resigned in March of 2012 ? Houlton still has not found a new town manager ? It’s almost August 2012 ! seems strange.
But then again,Houlton has always had a hard time finding a town manager that will buy into all the foolishness that goes on in local government.
Things such as spending $200,000 plus per year to fund a arena for hockey use only ! maintaining and staffing an “International” airport that gets most of it’s use by ultra lights and hobby flyers, maintaining and paying a rental fee for a sign that will direct people that are driving down the off ramp to the downtown district, maintaining and staffing police and fire departments that would be big enough to service the city of Brewer, and of course we can’t forget how much Houlton needed a tourist information center.
This is a list of the most obvious ways that town government is misrepresenting taxpayer funds.big time operators on the taxpayers money.
So, the facts speak for themselves,If you pay taxes in Houlton you will be pleased to know that the mill rate just went up at least one full point.that’s right ! your property tax bill will be higher so you can help pay for all of this uselessness.
run for a seat on the council or better yet apply for the job