LIVERMORE FALLS – Town Manager Alan Gove submitted his resignation Friday, saying the town needs a new energetic leader.
His last day will be July 23, selectmen’s Chairman Kenny Jacques said Monday.
Besides holding the position of town manager, Gove is also tax collector, health officer and road commissioner among other appointed positions, according to his resignation letter.
Gove, a former manager for Farmington, resides in Mercer. He became town manager here in January 2002 after Ruth Marden took the position of Jay town manager.
“I have enjoyed working with this community, and being the spark plug for many of the programs we now have,” Gove wrote in his resignation letter. “The spark is no longer strong, and I feel the town needs to get a new energetic manager into place,” he stated.
Gove joined several groups to improve the town and helped organize an adopt-a-spot program to spruce up the town. He also helped launch fund-raising to repair the town’s tower clock and obtained grants to build a bike and walking path. Voters approved matching funds for the project with the final vote taken June 15. The $220,000 project has not begun yet.
Gove was out of work Monday and not available for comment.
Jacques said he met with Gove on Friday afternoon, and the town manager said he has found employment in the private sector.
Selectmen voted 3-2 on Feb. 22 not to renew Gove’s contract, which expires June 30, 2006. Two of the selectmen who voted against renewing the contract, Bernal Lake and Joyce Drake, were not re-elected to office June 14. The third selectman opposed to contract renewal was Russell Flagg.
Selectmen clarified their vote on the non-renewal in March saying it was not a vote of termination, and they were working out their differences and would readdress the issue at a later date.
Last month, the board denied Gove’s request for a retroactive 10-month cost of living raise because the town hasn’t settled contract negotiations with three town employee groups.
Jacques said he spoke with fellow selectmen one at a time this weekend and the consensus was to advertise for a manager.
“We know we need to act,” Jacques said. “We have Alan for 30 more days. Alan said he will help in any way he can with the transition.”
Applications are due by Friday, July 18, and will be submitted to Jacques and then reviewed by a committee of town department heads and one selectman before the Board of Selectmen makes its decision, Jacques said. Details of the process are still being worked out, he said.
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