WINTERPORT — The board of selectmen hired Scott Tilton of Brewer as town manager Tuesday night. He replaces Arthur Ellingwood who resigned to take the town manager’s position in Newport.

According to Darlene Nelson, acting town manager, Tilton was selected from a field of 13 applicants by unanimous vote. Of all the applicants, she said, Tilton was the only one with a background in town management. Many of the other applicants had good managerial backgrounds, she said, but Tilton’s background was the deciding factor in his selection.

Tilton, a native of East Corinth, will assume his new position on Friday, April 23. He was appointed for the remainder of 1993, and in six months the selectmen will review his performance.

Describing Tilton as a pleasant person, Nelson said, “We will be able to work together very well,” adding that she will be glad to get back to her regular duties as administrative assistant.

Tilton most recently has been working for his father, Ben Tilton, of East Corinth, who runs an auctioneering firm.

Tilton got his first taste of public administration as an intern in Dexter during the summer of 1985 under Town Manager David Holt. After graduating from the University of Maine with a bachelor of arts degree in public management in 1986, he was employed for a year and a half as town manager of Exeter. He was town manager of Dixfield for 4 1/2 years, resigning his position in October of last year.

He is a Certified Maine Manager, certified by the Town and City Management Association and a former member of the International City Managers Association.

Wednesday Tilton said he plans to start slowly and see what he can do for the community. “The first thing I’ll be doing is writing a Community Development Block Grant,” he said, with the deadline for the grant May 14. “I know that the roads are a major concern for the people in Winterport and I have a pretty good background in roads,” he said, adding he also would like to look into areas of economic development for the town.

While in Dixfield, Tilton said he developed a road maintenance program and a capital improvement program and was responsible for helping the selectmen establish a list of goals. He would like to establish a similar goal-setting program in Winterport.

According to Nelson, Tilton will be moving into a brand new office. Renovations are nearly complete at the town office. The former manager’s office has been turned into two offices, one for Nelson and the other for the manager.

For the time being, Tilton said he will continue to reside in Brewer, but he is looking for a location to build a house.