Cherryfield waits to fill manager job

CHERRYFIELD – This is the last day on the job for Town Manager George Hanington, but Cherryfield’s selectmen have not been quick to replace him.

In fact, in spite of Hanington giving them two months’ notice of his resignation, selectmen have said they won’t even discuss putting in place a new town manager until they meet again in early September.

They figure that August is a slow month at the town office, and the two women who handle much of the walk-in matters can continue doing so, one of the selectmen said.

“We’re not doing anything” currently, Marjorie Brown said after Tuesday’s regular monthly meeting. “We just haven’t decided yet whether to advertise.

“I’m new to the board, only in my second year. But the others who have been here when there have been changes before figure that it’s not imperative that we do anything right now.”

For one thing, board Chairman Randy Perry is spending August working in the blueberry harvest and would not be available to conduct interviews.

In the interim, Bonnie Sproul and Mona West will cover the day-to-day tasks of town management. West has worked in the Cherryfield office for 26 years.

Hanington resigned because he wants more time for personal interests. Before he resigned he proposed to selectmen that his workload as town manager be reduced to 80 percent of his hours and pay.

But selectmen believed that the town manager position takes a full-time commitment, and indicated they would try to find someone to work five days a week.

In other town business Tuesday, the selectmen hired Scott Huber as the town’s code enforcement officer. Huber also works for Milbridge as animal control officer.