PARIS – The Oxford County Commission plans to stow away money to hire a county manager, having learned Administrative Assistant Carole Mahoney plans to retire.
Mahoney has not given a date for her departure, but raised the issue as the commissioners discussed the county budget and employee pay scale at a meeting Tuesday. “Let’s put it this way, I can retire next year,” she said, urging the commissioners to prepare for her replacement.
Commission Chairman Steve Merrill suggested the county look into hiring a manager as well as creating a charter.
Mahoney said counties such as Lincoln and Knox pay between $60,000 and $65,000 for managers.
It was agreed that the commissioners would include $30,000 in this year’s budget to prepare for Mahoney’s retirement.
Commissioner David Duguay asked whether the county also would have a clerk’s position, and whether the manager position should be created soon and offered to Mahoney. No answers were offered, but Duguay asked Mahoney to get copies of manager’s and clerk’s job descriptions from other counties for consideration.
Mahoney said she may not retire until 2007. “I tell you something, it’s not an easy decision, because I really enjoy the work,” she said. “It’s not easy at all.”
The annual county budget process will begin shortly, with caucuses to select budget committee members set for Aug. 31 in each commission member’s district.
A public hearing on next year’s proposed budget will be held Oct. 12, followed by an Oct. 18 commissioners’ budget work session and a Nov. 16 budget committee work session.
The budget and pay scale were not included as discussion items on agendas made available at Tuesday’s meeting. Mahoney said they were added late.
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