He was cited for uniting the people of Lewiston with the city’s new Somali immigrants.
By Lisa Chmelecki
Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Impressed doesn’t even begin to cover it.

That is what City Council President Renee Bernier had to say about Jim Bennett Thursday, the morning after he was named city manager of the year.

Lewiston’s top administrator since March 2002, Bennett was given the 2003 Linc Stackpole Manager of the Year Award Wednesday night at the Maine Town and City Management Association’s annual banquet.

The honor is awarded to city and town managers who show above-average examples of leadership and integrity. It is named after Lincoln C. Stackpole, whose years as Machias town manager from 1970 to 1977 set the standard of excellence for future town managers.

According to those who work with Bennett, no one is more deserving of the award.

“I knew he would be good from the start,” Bernier said. “He has a clear vision for the city and he makes things happen. I can’t say enough about him.”

City councilors and other city officials found out about the award in July, but they decided to keep it a secret from Bennett. Several of them attended the banquet.

In his usual style, Bennett turned the credit back to them.

“The biggest thing that this shows is that we have a team that is working,” the 42-year-old father of two said Thursday. “We have elected officials who support me and are willing to take risks, and we have one of the finest staffs in the state.”

Uniting the community

Bennett was nominated for the award by Lewiston Mayor Laurier Raymond Jr.

Raymond praised Bennett for his tireless effort in uniting the people of Lewiston with the city’s new Somali immigrants.

The mayor credited the manner in which Bennett handled the intense media coverage prompted by a controversial letter that Raymond sent to the Somali community. He also acknowledged the work that Bennett did to assure the community’s safety when white supremacists came here for a rally.

In addition, Raymond praised Bennett for his ongoing commitment to growth and development, including his work on a multi-million-dollar project to improve the lower Lisbon Street gateway.

“I strongly believe Jim’s leadership style, determination toward enhancing Lewiston’s image and his sincere love of this city have collectively played a vital role in our community’s renewed enthusiasm,” Raymond said. “He is indeed making a profound, positive difference.”

‘Not afraid’

Bennett took over as the city’s top administrator in March 2002, filling a position that had been vacant for several months. He served as the top manager in Dixfield, New Gloucester, Old Orchard Beach, then Westbrook, before coming to Lewiston.

He came here prepared to make things happen.

“I’m not afraid of change,” Bennett said.

In Lewiston, he added, the biggest challenge has been the city’s image as a rundown community with little to offer.

“Underneath the image is an awesome community. But people don’t think about Lewiston as a place to invest their money and open businesses,” he said. “Once we get that turned around, I think things are really going to snowball.”

Mom

Bennett first became interested in small-town government during his senior year at Lisbon High School.

Years later, in 1982, he became the youngest person elected to the Lisbon Board of Selectmen.

Bennett has admitted that most of the people who voted for him did so because they liked his mother, a cook at Lisbon High School for 20 years who earned a reputation as the “mom” of the town.

Ginger Bennett died of cancer in January. She was the first person who came to Bennett’s mind when he found out that he had been named town manager of the year. He credits her and his father, Frank, with much of his success.

“I was extremely disappointed that my mom wasn’t there,” he said. “I know that she would have been proud.”

lchmelecki@sunjournal.com