Glenn Moshier was placed on leave Monday night from his outgoing role as Ellsworth’s city manager, more than two months after he was similarly removed from his other role as police chief while an unspecified complaint against him is investigated.
After meeting in executive session for three hours, councilors voted 6-0 to place Moshier on paid administrative leave from the manager position, effective immediately. Councilor Tammy Mote was not at the meeting.
While Moshier has previously said that the city is investigating a complaint against him, officials have not disclosed the details of that complaint or the reasons for him being placed on leave, first as police chief and now as city manager. Councilors said Monday that they cannot discuss it because personnel matters are considered confidential under state law.
The practical effect of Monday night’s decision will be limited, as Moshier had already announced last summer that he wouldn’t seek to renew his city manager contract, and Castine resident Charles Pearce was recently selected to replace him. Pearce is expected to start April 1.
However, it’s less clear when or whether Moshier will return to his other role as police chief, from which he is still on leave. He left City Hall Monday evening without comment.
Moshier was appointed as Ellsworth’s police chief in 2017, and after the 2020 departure of prior City Manager David Cole, he filled in as interim city manager while continuing to serve as chief. In January 2021, he was permanently appointed as city manager while also retaining his chief position.
The City Council that appointed Moshier to both positions came under fire for the decision. Each of the positions is a full-time job by itself and having one person serve as both can create potential conflicts given the manager’s oversight role over the police chief, critics said. While serving as city manager, Moshier had delegated day-to-day management of the police department to Deputy Chief Troy Bires.
Since Moshier’s dual appointment in the two positions, the entire membership of the seven-seat City Council has changed.
Prior to being placed on paid leave from his police chief position last December, Moshier told the council he voluntarily would not seek to renew his manager contract but planned to stay on as police chief.
Moshier’s manager contract expired in January but, to give themselves more time to find a replacement, councilors voted to extend his contract for up to another year.
But last week, councilors said they had decided to hire Castine resident Charles Pearce as Ellsworth’s next city manager. Pearce is expected to start April 1.
In the meantime, the council voted 6-0 on Monday to give Chair Michelle Beal the authority to name an interim city manager. Beal said she expects to name the interim manager on Tuesday.
The council also voted 6-0 to meet again in executive session to discuss Moshier’s situation at 5 p.m. Monday.
