WILTON — The Wilton Board of Selectpersons has made the final decision on a replacement for current Town Manager Perry Ellsworth, and the choice is Maria Greeley, formerly a treasurer for the towns of Somerville and Union. The Select Board made a motion to offer the position to Greeley at the meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to which Greeley accepted.

Greeley will replace Ellsworth officially on Monday, Nov. 13. Her first official Select Board meeting as town manager will be on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

“Maria came highly recommended to me from other managers that I am associated with,” Ellsworth stated at the meeting. “I’m really looking forward to working with her in a transitional mode.”

Ellsworth is confident in her ability, stating, “I think that she knows a lot more than she believes that she knows at this point, but it’s a new adventure for her, and there’s no way that she’s not going to be successful.”

“I just wanted to thank the Select Board, the hiring committee, the residents and the department heads for the tireless hours that you spent during this process,” Greeley said. “I know Perry’s shoes are going to be hard to fill, but I am dedicated to learning.”

Though fresh as a town manager, Greeley is an experienced government accountant and treasurer, having worked for the town of Somerville as tax collector and treasurer from 2016 to 2021 and the town of Union as treasurer from May 2021 to July 2022.

Greeley will replace Ellsworth, who signed on as town manager in June of last year, replacing Rhonda Irish who retired after 13 years of service as town manager for Wilton.

Ellsworth, who has more than 17 years of experience as a town manager, served for both Rangeley [seven years] and South Berwick [10 years] before coming to Wilton. Ellsworth had made the decision to retire after stepping down from his role at South Berwick, but found himself missing the action of town government.

Upon stepping into the role at Wilton, Ellsworth stated one of his key objectives was to prepare the town for a new, younger generation interested in taking their place as leaders of the town. “People who are becoming a town manager, it’s the new generation with new people,” Ellsworth told The Franklin Journal when he was hired.

Ellsworth formally announced his resignation in July, but hinted at the prospect of not staying in the position for much longer during the discussions over the budget in the months leading up to the annual town meeting in June. During one meeting, when a member of the financial committee took issue with the increases in general government administration [especially in compensation for town manager], Ellsworth stated, “I’m not staying.”

“I’m telling you that if you hire a town manager for less than $85,000 to $90,000, you are making a mistake,” Ellsworth told the committee member. “Your manager will save you money if they know what they’re doing, and it costs money to get someone who knows what they’re doing.”

Ellsworth and the Select Board began formally looking for a replacement in August. His last day was tentatively slated for Wednesday, Nov. 1, but was moved to Monday, Nov. 13, during the interview process in October.

“You made the right choice,” Ellsworth told the Select Board at his final Select Board meeting as town manager. “She’s open to learning and open to discussion.”

“I want to say thank you to the town of Wilton,” he added. “It’s been fun, but I’m getting old. I may not look old, at least that’s what people tell me, but I am getting old.”

Several Select Board members, including David Leavitt, Vice-Chair Mike Wells, and Chairperson Tiffany Maiuri, thanked Ellsworth for his service.

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