MECHANIC FALLS – Billed as an opportunity to wish Dana Lee well as he retires after 16 years as town manager, Wednesday night’s open house was as much another chance to hang out with him, being informed and entertained, learning from and laughing with a dedicated professional who understands well that life is too serious to be taken seriously.
To the suggestion that he had built quite a legacy since stepping into the town manager job in 1990, Lee responded in trademark fashion, “Ah, the legacy of a trail of destruction – Monty Python meets Wylie Coyote.”
But in the next moment, pressed for what had been his toughest challenge, Lee said the Depot Square project was clearly his most satisfying accomplishment.
“A real difficult deal, five pieces of property, five owners going five ways – took three grants and was just a beast to put together, but we really have something,” said Lee.
This is the man who was president of the Maine Municipal Association in 2005, Maine’s town manager of the year in 2004 and who, in 2001-2002, was the leader of the campaign to force state government to honor its 20-year promise to fund 25 percent of the cost of public education.
Lee is also the man who stars as Throg in the recently released nonsense low-budget film, “Throg: The Movie,” and who, several times, had to assure well-wishers that it was highly unlikely that moviemaking will play much of a part in his future endeavors.
For the record, Lee noted, that he is going into real estate, joining with Joyce Crane working as Keller Williams Realty Mid Maine, and that he will also be doing some consulting work, “helping out small towns facing difficulties, helping with strategic planning and the sort.”
Assuring folks that he had no intention of leaving town, Lee said he has signed a six-month management transition plan agreement with the town and that he will be working chiefly on specific short-term projects.
Librarian Sandi Brown-Eustis presented Lee with two books to help his transition: “Weird New England” and “Hippo Eats Dwarf.” A well-wisher gave Lee a card containing a certificate that he and his wife, GiGi, might have a dinner on the town. The certificate was for $75 “minus $25 for screwing up my street in 1995.”
In a toast, Lee said, “As I have told many of you already, I leave with no regrets and a great love for the town. It just felt like time for a change in my gut. You all have been wonderful through the years. It was the goodness of my staff, that’s why I was named town manager of the year. I am grateful to all of you. I appreciate your being here very much and know that I am still part of Mechanic Falls.”
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