March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Public works vacancy now filled in Machias

MACHIAS — Machias began the third month without a town manager this week, and selectmen voted Tuesday to fill a vacancy in the public works department with a working supervisor.

Curt Pooler Sr. will serve in a contract position because there is no public works supervisor position in the town budget, according to Sandra Altmannsberger, the chairman of the Machias selectmen. Pooler began work Monday and his contract runs until July 1. Pooler will be paid $400 a week and his only fringe benefit is scheduled holidays.

Altmannsberger said the position of public works supervisor was cut from the town budget during a budget crunch two years ago. Eliminating the supervisor’s position left three public works employees and one of the three, Leon Davis, retired in October. Altmannsberger said selectmen had a number of reasons for their decision to advertise for a public works supervisor rather than a replacement for Davis.

Former Town Manager Sally Crowley had notified selectmen that she was resigning to take a position as town manager in Winter Harbor. The town manager supervises the public works department and selectmen saw a real need for supervision in the department, Altmannsberger said.

When the supervisor’s position was eliminated, it was with the understanding that the position would be re-instituted if there was a need, she said. Selectmen will probably put the position back into their proposed 1998-99 budget, she said.

Pooler served as a Machias selectman for three years and his term expired in June 1997.

Selectmen voted Tuesday to begin re-advertising for a new town manager on Saturday with applications to close on Jan. 31.


Have feedback? Want to know more? Send us ideas for follow-up stories.

comments for this post are closed

You may also like