Puckett ready to hit the ground running
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Martin Puckett has been incredibly busy since being appointed the new city manager of Presque Isle. Though his first official day at his new desk is on August 17, 2015, there is still a great deal of work ahead.
“Although the Council has appointed me, the terms of my contract have not yet been ratified,” said Puckett. “We’re still working out some of the details. We haven’t set any specific parameters yet, but we are using Jim Bennett’s contract as a basis for mine.
Puckett said Bennett is paid about $99,000 annually, and of course a percentage of that goes into 401k, health insurance, and a few other benefit programs.
Puckett has held Presque Isle’s deputy city manager post since March of 2012.
“Deputy manger was a new position when I first got the job,” said Puckett last week. “There were basically two and a half positions taking care of several functions, such as HR, working with downtown groups, health insurance, special projects, and other programs. It gave me an opportunity to become knowledgeable about the city and learn a lot about different departments.
“It’s been a great experience working with Jim, too. He has experience with larger communities and I was able to pick his brain and learn a lot about Presque Isle.”
The City Council plans to discuss the future of the deputy manager position during their August meeting.
“I think it will likely turn into an HR director position,” Puckett said. “We are going to need someone to assist with the hiring process, safety training, loss prevention, and workers’ compensation. The new opening is going to require someone who can take on a lot of different tasks.
“The big thing is that you need to hire someone with the skills you need, and if you see that they have passion for certain avenues, you allow them to take the reins. One of the big things we’re working on now, for example, is trying to ramp things up downtown, such as the public market. Personally, I’d love to see great events like movies and music in the public park flourish a little bit more,” he said.
Though the position of city manager carries a tremendous amount of responsibility, the Hancock native is more excited than anxious about the new job.
“I’ve been involved with several different areas of this city’s administration and I’m comfortable with the department heads, councilors and city staff. There would be a period of downtime if they took on someone who wasn’t familiar with these aspects of the city, but I’m able to hit the ground running. I’m excited about it, too. We have so many projects in the works, and the Community Center is on the top of the list. We also have public market structure, and we are overseeing some aspects of the Maine Department of Transportation’s Main Street Project.”
The Main Street Project is a paving project taking place this year. It involves replacing water and sewer lines, among other improvements to Presque Isle roads and infrastructure.
“MDOT is starting from Chapman Street,” said Puckett, “and all four lanes are going to go up until you get to the Aroostook River bridge near the mall. They are also putting in a new sidewalk that starts across from the new KeyBank building and goes north up to the Maysville Road.”
Puckett is no stranger to municipal administration, and has years of experience in the field.
“My first municipal job was an internship in Belfast that I took on when I was in college,” he explained. “My first town manager job was in Sangerville. I wanted to make a step to a larger town after that, but my age acted as a barrier, and the larger towns wanted someone with a master’s degree.”
Once he earned his masters’ in public administration degree, Puckett was able to get a town manager job in Livermore Falls. He eventually moved up to Mapleton/Chapman/Castle Hill, and then to Presque Isle.
Puckett enjoys the added responsibility of managing larger cities, but believes that the smaller jobs were an important aspect of his career.
“Small town managerial jobs require you to be, as the saying goes, a jack of all trades and a master of none,” said Puckett. “I’ve worked at the front counter and I’ve had to clean out beaver culverts. There’s such a small office and staff that you have to be involved with so many different things. On the other hand, when managing larger towns, you have to hire skilled individuals and delegate those tasks accordingly.”
Even though Puckett is passionate about local administration, he’s had an admiration for the culinary arts from a very young age.
“During my high school years, I was always involved in the kitchen, and decided I wanted to be a chef. I then earned my dietary management certificate from Washington County Technical College. I realized that cooking was a passion of mine, but I didn’t want it as a career, I wanted to keep it something special,” he said.
Outside of work, Puckett’s hobbies include fly fishing, running, and artwork. He is also an avid reader. He said the fact that both of his parents volunteered in their community influenced his path.
“My dad ran for Selectman when I was 9 or 10 years old,” said Puckett. “He took me along when he obtained signatures and I remember being in awe of the town meeting process. It’s a very powerful moment when you get to stand up in front of the whole floor and you’re allowed to speak your piece and give your own opinion. I’ve been passionate about local government ever since then.”
Of the several projects lined up for the city moving forward, Puckett is most excited about the new Community Center project, and believes it will play a large role in bringing city residents together.
“I’m really excited to be the new city manager of Presque Isle,” said Puckett. “I’m going to get a great management team working and I aim to do the best I can to make Presque Isle residents proud of their community.”
