AUBURN – Auburn’s new finance director, in place for six months, will leave the city before the new year.
Ronald N. Farris, the city’s finance director since April 11, said Friday will be his last day on the job. He told councilors about his decision on Dec. 19.
He assumes a new job with the Finance Authority of Maine on Jan. 3. FAME provides loans and financial assistance to local businesses and college students, and he’ll be the financial analyst for the authority.
He left his job at FAME as the accounting and finance director last spring to come to Auburn.
“They’ve replaced that position, so I won’t be returning there,” he said.
His new job is one he urged them to create last year. He’ll create financial projections for the authority and track performance.
“It’s stuff I was never able to do as the accounting manager,” he said. “It’s definitely a different focus. All of my career has been focused strictly on accounting, but this gives me the chance to think about other things.”
It’s not money that convinced him to leave, he said. Farris makes $65,000 per year as Auburn’s finance director. He’ll take a cut in pay at FAME, he said.
It’s not controversy, either.
“I’m not on bad terms with the city, or leaving because of the valuation,” Farris said. “I just have a new opportunity and it’s something I’ve been interested in for quite a while.”
Farris filled the job after it had been vacant for more than a year. Then Finance Director Jill Eastman resigned in February 2004 after 16 years with the city. Laurie Smith, who was community relations director at the time, filled the finance director’s job in the interim. She was promoted to assistant city manager when the city hired Farris.
Neither Smith nor City Manager Pat Finnigan could be reached for comment Tuesday.
Farris joins a growing list of top city employees to resign since 2003, beginning with Tax Assessor Joe Downey in May of that year. Eastman resigned in February 2004, followed by Assistant City Manager Mark Adams who resigned in July 2004. Adams took a job with the Maine Turnpike Authority. Planning and Permitting Director Lee Jay Feldman resigned in October 2004. He was replaced by planner David Galbraith.
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