AUBURN – Longtime City Manager Pat Finnigan is leaving Auburn to become assistant city manager in Portland, she announced Thursday.

Finnigan has been Auburn’s city manager since 1995. She came here in 1991 as assistant city manager. Before that she worked for the Maine Municipal Association.

Finnigan helped guide the city’s downtown rebirth and economic development. Those efforts led to the creation of the Festival Plaza, a new City Building, the Hilton Garden Inn and Gritty McDuff’s.

Her era also included a major taxpayer uprising after homeowners complained of excessive property taxes. That led to the creation of taxpayers watchdog groups including the United Citizens of Auburn.

In a statement, Finnigan said Thursday that she’ll remain Auburn’s city manager until June 1 to help guide the City Council through the budget process.

Efforts to reach Finnigan for additional comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

Late winter and early spring is the most intense time of year, and Portland City Manager Joe Gray was understanding of that, Finnigan said. Gray agreed to Finnigan beginning her Portland duties on June 4.

Charles Morrison, who heads the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce and was Auburn’s city manager for nine years in the 1980s, said Finnigan did a “great job” during a difficult time.

Finnigan provided a steady hand when the city council was at odds over the past couple of years, he said.

“When the council is split 4-3, that’s very difficult,” Morrison said. “You work for the council.” It doesn’t matter what the manager thinks, Morrison said. Being the manager is tough “when the council can’t make up their mind and meetings are contentious. There was a lot of negative comments about what the city was doing.” When that happens “everybody feels like they’re in a glass house. She was professional throughout that.”

Morrison credited Finnigan with teaming up with former Mayor Lee Young to start the downtown revitalization. “While Lee provided political leadership, Pat led the administration to get it done. I think she’s done a great job,” Morrison said.

Auburn Mayor John Jenkins said Finnigan’s announcement causes “no sadness at all. It’s good for all involved. God speed to her. She’s done a great job in Auburn. We’re happy for her.”

Finnigan’s new job in Portland is a great opportunity career-wise, he said. “We’re not the largest city, but we’re a great city. We’re better off because of her service.”

With Finnigan not leaving immediately, there’s no rush to do anything, the mayor said. “All is not going to fall apart.” Auburn has a team of outstanding professionals who know exactly what to do, he said.

There will be discussions about merging with Lewiston, Jenkins said, but not immediately.

“We’ll look at all of our options,” he said. Auburn is now faced with budget and tax proposals, more “immediate issues.” Before any merger changes were to happen, “we want to have the citizens weigh in on it,” Jenkins said.

Ed Degrosseilliers of United Citizens of Auburn praised Finnigan as a hard worker. He said her departure “is an opportunity for the city to bring in new breath. What’s happened is the city has a stale outlook. … There’s a tension in the city.” Her leaving will bring “some relief,” he said.

Auburn needs a city manager who will bring a new approach, Desgrosseilliers said. “Instead of building our expenses then working a budget, we need to reverse that thinking.” The city needs to develop a budget “like you and I do,” or determining how much it can spend after seeing how much it has, he said.

Because the city has so much work to do internally, it’s premature to talk about Lewiston and Auburn merging, Desgrosseilliers said. Before the cities merge, Auburn has much work to do improving its operation, he said.

At-large City Councilor Bob Mennealy, who often was at odds with Finnigan, said, “She and I had our differences. But there’s no question she was a hard worker and was very dedicated.” He praised her for staying through the city’s budget season. Her leaving now would be difficult for the city, he said.

Finnigan’s June departure could be positive in that it could help city government heal and have a fresh start, he said. “Mayor Jenkins is a fresh new face. The council seems to be more united this year.” Mennealy hoped that trend would continue with more new leadership.

As far as Lewiston and Auburn merging, or merging administrators, Mennealy said he’d like to see those questions be asked of residents this November in a nonbinding referendum. That, he said, would give city officials some feedback on what taxpayers want.

Ellen Peters, another at-large councilor, said she can’t comment on whether the two cities should merge with Finnigan leaving. “I can’t even go there yet.” And she’d need “to talk to members of the community about” any merging before commenting, Peters said. She does favor collaboration, consolidation and coordination with Lewiston that provides ways to save taxpayers money.

She said Finnigan’s resignation is “a great opportunity for the city of Auburn. It gives us a chance to re-evaluate what we want in leadership.” Peters praised Finnigan as a city manager “who worked tirelessly to bring economic development to the community.”

Lewiston’s councilors were much more bullish on sharing a top administrator at a special meeting Thursday. City Council President Renee Bernier called for a meeting with her Auburn counterparts, offering to share Lewiston Administrator Jim Bennett’s services.

“There is no doubt in my mind that he is capable of managing both cities,” Bernier said. Other councilors agreed, saying it should be scheduled once Lewiston has elected a new mayor.

Bennett said he talked to Finnigan Thursday morning about her new job but said he had not thought about trying to replace her.

“Right now, my focus is entirely on Lewiston’s budget,” Bennett said.