EASTPORT, Maine — Larry Post, 60, a former administrator of Somerset County, will begin his new position as city manager in Eastport next week.
The Eastport City Council met in executive session Wednesday night to make the hiring decision, according to Mary Repole, who chairs the five-member council. Post was among 25 candidates seeking to succeed City Manager Jon Southern, 40, who, citing “burnout,” opted not to have his contract renewed when it expires at the end of this month.
Post will receive an annual salary of $60,000. Southern is currently earning $55,000 and has been Eastport’s city manager since April 2010. Southern said he plans to work closely with Post over the next few weeks, and perhaps beyond his contract expiration date, to bring Post up to speed on pending projects, including an ongoing audit and city budget deliberations.
Post said Thursday he’s looking forward to the challenges that this seaside Washington County community of 1,331 presents. Before a two-year stint as Somerset County administrator, Post was the town manager of Hartland for two years, having previously been the town manager of St. Albans for 30 years.
“I look forward to being in a community on the move,” Post said Thursday. “The people here have been absolutely wonderful. I think my skills and the momentum that’s underway here is a good fit. I’m looking forward to meeting the challenge of making Eastport all that it can be.”
Repole said Thursday she agrees that Post is a “good fit.”
“He brings to the job a lot of city and town experience, which we need,” she said.
Repole could not find enough superlatives Thursday to describe the work of outgoing manager Southern over the past four years.
“Jon was the person who carried the city out of a lot of debt and brought us to the point where exciting things are happening,” she said. “He was absolutely priceless, and we can’t thank Jon enough for all he’s done for Eastport.”