Hanson named Houlton’s new town manager

    HOULTON, Maine — The town will have a new, but yet familiar, face in the town manager’s office.
Wade Hanson was unanimously chosen as Houlton’s town manager Monday evening. Assistant Town Manager and Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary has served as the interim town manager since Doug Hazlett’s departure on March 23. Hazlett, who was hired in 2005, left his position to take a job with MMG Insurance in Presque Isle.
    “I’m excited,” Hanson said Tuesday morning. “I’m glad to be back with the town and part of the day-to-day operations. My goal is to help the taxpayers in Houlton.”
Hanson does not officially begin his duties as town manager until Monday, Sept. 10. Part of the reason for that delay in starting is because the town currently has a personnel policy prohibiting family members from being employed in a department where one has a supervisory role. Hanson’s mother, Nedra Hanson, serves as the town’s treasurer. Hanson’s sister-in-law, Marie Carmichael, is also the recreation director. All department heads fall under the supervision of the town manager.
To remedy that matter, councilors introduced a change to its personnel policy Monday evening that will allow family members to be employed full time “with specific consent of the town council.” Hanson will come on board with the town once that policy has been enacted.
Council Chairman Paul Cleary said the board did not feel the changes to the personnel policy would have any adverse effect on the town.
“There are so many checks and balances in place that I doubt anything could ever happen,” Cleary said. “Plus, Nedra has been with us for more than 40 years. She does a great job.”
Cleary added there was no real concern about setting wages, since most of the town employees are unionized.
The town sought a legal opinion from its attorney — Dan Nelson — who provided the wording of the policy change.
“One of the reasons we are going this route is to have everything transparent,” Cleary said. “We are not trying to hide anything.”
A public hearing on the personnel policy change will be held Monday, Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Residents who have any concerns on the matter can state their feelings at that time.
Cleary said Hanson was one of three “really good candidates” in the final running, but what set him apart from the others was his familiarity with the town. He added he was excited to have Hanson back in the town ranks.
“It’s good to say we have a local person as our new town manager,” Cleary said. “I think that is a plus for a lot of people. A lot of people said to me they wanted someone local.”
Councilor Sue Tortello agreed.
“Not only is he (Hanson) a local person, he has a very strong commitment and vision for the town of Houlton and has worked his way up through the ranks of town government,” Tortello said.
The town conducted two rounds of advertising for the position. The first time, immediately after Hazlett’s resignation, 31 individuals applied. Of those, no suitable candidate was found so the council reopened the search. On the second round, 33 individuals applied.
“It was tough the first time around for us to even come up with a consensus top five,” Cleary said. “This second time, it took less than 30 minutes. It was definitely worth re-advertising.”
The municipal budget will be one of the biggest issues facing Hanson, Cleary said.
“We have got to start making some really unpopular decisions with the budget,” he said.
Wade Hanson started out with town as its civic center director in 2000. He held that post for just six months before taking over as the town’s code enforcement officer.
He held that post for about eight years before moving into the role of economic and community development director at the request of then town manager Hazlett.
He resigned from his town position last September to take a similar post as the economic development director for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians.
During his time with the town as its economic and community development director, Hanson was involved with a number of large projects, including the Tractor Supply Store, Market Square Commons housing project, as well as assisting in the creation of a Farmer’s Market in downtown Houlton.
While he has only been with the Maliseets for a relatively short period of time, Hanson said he felt compelled to apply for the town manager position because of his background with the town.
“I think I will be more valuable to the town in this capacity,” he said.
Hanson’s biggest challenge as the new town manager will be budgetary issues, he said.
“Budgetary issues are going to be huge,” he said. “There are a lot of concerns over services and what can be done to maintain a steady tax rate. The conservation efforts of the past are starting to catch up with us. We have to be very smart and frugal in the coming years to maintain an affordable way of life for people in Houlton.”