Buckfield signs on town manager for five more years

BUCKFIELD — Selectmen have inked a deal with Glen Holmes that will keep the town manager at the head of Buckfield’s administrative efforts though 2012.

The contract talks were described as brief, amicable, and largely a formality.

“Obviously, we think he’s doing a good job since we signed him on for five more years,” said selectboard Chairman Chris Hayward.  “There certainly haven't been any major complaints that I know about.”

The new five-year contract, which goes into effect with the next fiscal year, July 1, does not include a salary hike, apart from previously agreed to annual cost of living allowances.

The Mexico native and longtime Buckfield resident beat out a field of 13 candidates to replace Town Manager Cindy Dunn in September 2004, after she elected to step down to town clerk.  He left a position at Media Power Inc. a Portland-based producer of infomercials, accepting a cut in pay, to take the job. 

Holmes was hired at $42,000 per year with annual pay raises since then averaging 2.5 percent.  His pay raise is tied directly to that of other town employees. 

However, when Holmes first came on board with the town, he chose to forego health insurance coverage.  As part of the new contract, beginning July 1 the town will pick up the cost of the town manager’s health care, estimated at about $7,000 per year.

In one other change to the previous contract, Holmes has given the town a 60-day “out.”  In the first agreement signed with the town, Holmes could walk away after giving a 60-day notice.  However, the town was bound to the full length of the contract.  Allowing the town to sever ties with notice, so that taxpayers would never be in a position of having to buy out the remainder of his contract, seemed like “the fair thing to do,” said Holmes.