Orono town manager resigns, takes post in R.I.

ORONO – After 10 years as town manager, Gerry Kempen has notified the town council that he will resign from the position to take a similar job in a Rhode Island town twice the size of Orono.

Kempen will take over as the town administrator for Middletown beginning Monday, July 21. Located on an island on Rhode Island’s coast, Middletown is adjacent to Newport and has a population of roughly 19,000.

Kempen will stay on until July 5, the weekend after the budget is implemented.

After being notified Friday, town councilor John Bradson said he was somewhat surprised with Kempen’s decision.

“It came as kind of a shock to us,” Bradson said. “I don’t think anyone had any inkling of it.”

Like Orono, Middletown operates with a seven-person council. At 14.7 square miles, Middletown is roughly 25 percent smaller than Orono, although Middletown’s more than $2 billion tax base is eight times larger. Kempen earns roughly $78,000 in Orono and he will make $92,500 in Middletown.

Despite the pay increase, Kempen said his family played the largest role in his decision to leave Orono. With family members in Connecticut, New York and Boston, Rhode Island is more of a central location.

“I’m at the point in time where it’s important to be close to everyone,” the 49-year-old Kempen said.

Originally from New Jersey, Kempen came to Orono in March of 1993 after serving five years as the town manager of next-door Veazie. Prior to that, he served stints as a resource developer for the former Maine Bureau of Mental Retardation and in government posts in Montana.

Having worked with Kempen as a councilor since 1999, Bradson described him as competent, thorough and reliable during some of the town’s difficult times.

“We’re in much better financial shape than we were when he got here,” Bradson said. “I think he’s leaving us with a strong grasp of the future.”

Assistant Town Manager David Struck credited him with helping bring businesses into the Maine Technology Park and noted his skill in interacting with the council.

“He has the instincts of keeping a focus and keeping things moving along which is sometimes difficult,” Struck said.

Although he plans to leave in just under two months, Kempen said he will continue working on a possible agreement to house a new public works garage in Old Town as well as a major upgrade project at the water pollution control facility. Additionally, he hopes to see the Ayers Island deed transferred to developer George Markowsky as soon as possible as the town isn’t budgeting to insure the island after July 1.

Kempen expects his successor will have plenty of other issues to work through including a possible new bridge to Ayers Island, the resolution of a developer’s lawsuit with the town over a 153-unit housing complex and obtaining wetland permits needed for undeveloped parts of the technology park.

It is unclear who will take over for Kempen, although Bradson anticipated the council would set up an interim position that could be filled by Struck, Town Clerk Wanda Thomas or some combination of the two. Bradson said additional plans may include meetings to decide whether the town will promote an employee or enter into a search for a new town manager.

“I’ve offered to help in the process in any way the council would like me to participate,” Kempen said.