Hollis at a crossroad: Fast-growing York County town considers hiring its first town manager (2024)

It’s been one of Maine’s fastest growing towns for more than a decade, but Hollis has historically protected its traditional town-meeting style of government and the part-time select board that oversees it.

Come Tuesday, however, residents will once again decide whether the time has come to hire their first town manager.

Hollis currently has three select board members who run day-to-day operations with the help of an administrative assistant. The biggest spending and policy decisions are made at an annual town meeting of residents, the most common form of local government in Maine.

The proposal up for a vote Tuesday would add a full-time manager and expand the size of the select board from three to five members. But it would not do away with the annual town meeting, and residents still would have a direct say over major spending and other decisions. It’s a hybrid form of government adopted by nearly 20 other Maine communities.

Groups of Hollis residents have attempted to hire a town manager twice in recent years. In 2017, the proposal was rejected by a slim margin of 18 votes. In 2019, residents formed a committee that once again advocated for a town manager, but the select board did not allow it on the warrant and the committee did not have enough time to circulate a citizen petition.

Mary Hoffman, current chair of the select board, was a part of that 2019 committee. Hoffman said she could not comment on the issue in her role as a member of the select board, which she said is not weighing in on the proposal. But as a resident, she said having a town manager is long overdue in Hollis.

“I think it’s time for a town manager,” she said. “We have close to 5,000 residents, and I feel that there are many opportunities to apply for funds that could help the town improve the resources that it has for residents.”

It’s a decision that many other towns around the state have faced as populations grow and place more pressure on municipal services.

With a population of around 4,800, Hollis stands among only a few York County towns its size that have not adopted a town manager-style government. Hollis was the fastest-growing town in York County from 2010-2020 according to census data.

Lebanon, with a population of around 6,500, and Buxton, with a population of around 8,400, also have not changed their form of government to include a town manager.

Limington, a neighboring town with a population of around 4,000, elected to hire a town manager in March.

Maynard Charron, a Hollis resident for 23 years, is a part of the committee of residents supporting the town manager restructure, this time with a five-member select board.

Charron said the committee, formed in December, feels a town manager is important for fostering continuity in town leadership. Charron recalled a period last year when one select board member resigned abruptly and without notice, and another became ill.

“The in-person meetings were only attended by one selectman,” Charron said. “We get selectmen that come and go. We need continuity.”

Charron also said hiring a town manager would lessen the workload and hours of the select board members, opening membership to more residents.

LESSENING WORKLOAD ON SELECT BOARD

“The select people are no longer going to work four to five days a week, six to eight hours a day,” Charron said. “The people who are select people of this town are retired. Now people that are 22, 42, 52 years old can be select people.”

Charron emphasized that a town manager would be professionally trained to lead the town, with experience in grant writing and the ability to navigate state and federal government proceedings.

If the ordinance passes, the three current board members would remain, and two new members would be elected in June 2025, at next year’s annual town meeting. Other elected town officials would also remain in their positions.

A nine-member hiring committee made up of the board, town employees, other committee members and residents would be formed by September, with the responsibility of recommending town manager candidates and compensation packages to the select board. The town manager’s employment would begin in the summer of 2025.

According to the ordinance, the town manager must have a four-year degree in business, public administration or a related field, or an associate degree with the same experience and education.

Some Hollis residents take issue with the risk in bringing in a new person to town, and the potential cost of hiring a town manager.

Josh Baldridge, 47, said he would be in favor of hiring a town manager depending on their background and experience.

“They need someone to manage this town, just like any place,” Baldridge said. “Still, I’m looking to keep costs down.”

Raul Pinard, 79, has been a Hollis resident for almost 50 years, and is planning to vote in Tuesday’s election. He is not in favor of hiring a town manager.

“I think it’s a waste of money,” Pinard said. “The aldermen are doing a decent job.”

CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS

Hoffman said the three current select board members are each being paid around $23 an hour, working up to 25 hours a week.

From June 2023 to June 2024, the board’s wages totaled to around $71,580. However, for thirteen weeks of the past year the town only employed two board members, so the total would normally be higher.

The benefits package budgeted for the board is around $41,900 for the year, although the current board members do not take their full benefits, the town treasurer said.

With the new government, Charron said the payment of the five select board members would change to a yearly stipend of around $2,000 to $2,500 per member and an additional stipend for the chair. The exact amount would ultimately be decided by the board itself and the finance committee, according to the ordinance.

Charron said that with the stipend costs subtracted from the town’s previously budgeted pay for the select board, there should be enough money to pay a town manager’s salary, anywhere from $85,000 to $110,000 a year.

“We know that there are those thinking that change is not a good idea and that it’ll be a lot of money,” Charron said. “It is our opinion that the cost of the taxpayer will not be any greater.”

Hoffman said that a town manager also could make more money for the town in terms of funding applications.

“I don’t think it’s going to cost more initially,”Hoffman said. “Without a town manager, in the long run, you miss opportunities for grants and other things. … It would work for us.”

Voting will take place Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hollis Community Building, 35 Town Farm Road.

« Previous

Next »