Bert Kendall (Photo courtesy Maine Town and City Managers Association)
The Waldoboro Board of Selectmen voted to appoint an interim town manager during the board’s meeting the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 17.
The board approved a three-month contract, starting Wednesday, Jan. 18, for Bertrand “Bert” Kendall to serve as interim town manager while the town searches for a full-time replacement for outgoing Town Manager Linda-Jean Briggs.
Briggs’ last day is Friday, Jan. 20.
Kendall lives in Cumberland. He is a native of New Jersey who worked for municipalities for 34 years until his retirement in 2005.
According to the Maine Municipal Association, Kendall came out of retirement to serve as Denmark’s first town manager from 2006-2008.
He received a bachelor’s degree in government from Bowdoin College in Brunswick and a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y.
The vote to approve the appointment was 3-0-2, with Robert Butler and Clint Collamore abstaining.
Butler said treating the interim town manager as a due-process employee could leave the municipality vulnerable to potential litigation. He compared the interim position to that of a consultant.
“I’m abstaining not against the candidate, just the contract,” Butler said.
Selectman Jann Minzy said the contract was agreeable to the town’s lawyer and she saw nothing wrong with it.
Selectman Katie Winchenbach questioned the need to have an eight-page contract for a three-month position.
