MEXICO – A familiar face to many area people was chosen Friday afternoon as Region 9’s interim director.

Harvey C. Hayden, a retired assistant superintendent from SAD 9 in Farmington with many years of education experience, will begin working for the local vocational school by mid-August.

“We’re happy about this,” said Region 9 cooperative board Chairman Norman Clanton. “It will ease the transition. He’s exactly what we were hoping to find.”

Hayden, a Farmington resident, will be paid $250 per day plus mileage, for up to 10 days per month.

Clanton said finding a new, permanent director for the vocational school may take at least three months.

Former Director Deborah Guimont submitted her resignation, effective July 16. She has, however, agreed to work one day a week until Sept. 1 to help with the transition. She resigned after five years with Region 9 to take a similar position in Sanford.

Clanton said Guimont will meet with Hayden to “bring him up to speed” on the various projects under way in the school several times during the remainder of the summer.

Clanton said he was particularly pleased that Hayden will take over the reins of the vocational school because he has been involved with school and hospital regionalization matters.

Region 9 has been working with area superintendents on a variety of cooperative projects, including pooling purchasing power for common commodities such as fuel oil and diesel.

Advertisements for a full-time, permanent director will appear in statewide newspapers this weekend. The deadline for submitting applications is Aug. 24. From there, the Region 9 board, with the assistance of the Maine School Management Association, will screen applicants and set up interviews.