AUBURN — A new permanent city manager has been chosen, according to a news release Friday.
Following a lengthy search that began in 2016, Auburn officials will introduce the new city manager during a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday, March 13, at Auburn Hall.
Auburn has been without a permanent city manager since Howard Kroll left on Sept. 9, 2016, for the manager’s post in Hermon. Since then, Denis D’Auteuil has been acting city manager.
The city reopened the search for a new city manager in January, after no one from its first round of applications was hired last fall. D’Auteuil said he was offered the position during the initial round of interviews, but ultimately withdrew his candidacy.
In February, D’Auteuil announced he’s leaving Auburn for the assistant city administrator post in Lewiston. Since then, Auburn has brought in former Biddeford City Manager John Bubier to take over as acting city manager.
When the City Council began reviewing the second pool of applicants, Mayor Jonathan LaBonte said he wanted to lock down a new manager by late March in order to have him or her in place as budget season is in full swing.
This is the second lengthy city manager search in Auburn since 2012, when the city went roughly seven months between managers before hiring Clinton Deschene. The city manager’s position has seen frequent turnover during the past few years.
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