MONMOUTH – Four months after longtime Town Manager Curtis Lunt left Lisbon because of differences he had with councilors over the direction and vision of the town, Lunt has a new place to oversee.

It’s a smaller town with fewer people and a lower budget, but after 32 years in public service, it’s a change he appreciates.

“It’s just a different scale. In my case, maybe a more human scale,” Lunt said. “I spend more time talking to people on the street than I used to and less time writing memos.”

Lunt replaced Monmouth’s former town manager, Paul Bird, who retired in October. Lunt was one of four finalists for the position.

“I liked his resume and his interviews. He seemed very knowledgeable and he acted like he was a people person,” said Pauline McDougald, chairwoman of the Monmouth Board of Selectmen. “I think it’s nice to have a people person.”

At the same time, Lunt decided the close-knit town of 4,000 was just the place he wanted to oversee. He’d spent 15 years managing Lisbon, a 9,000-person town, and 10 years managing Conway, N.H. He held similar positions in Skowhegan, Veazie and Monson.

After leaving Lisbon in August, he considered moving out of state or running a larger town in Maine. At 57, he also considered simply retiring.

“But I couldn’t stand the thought of sitting around the house. What I enjoy doing is public service,” he said.

In Monmouth, he could do that public service in a small-but-growing community.

Although the town is less than half the size of Lisbon, the basics are the same: taxpayers, schools, police, fire and public works departments.

“He’s been doing a good job. Everybody seems to feel he’s right on top of things,” said Selectman Doug Ludewig. “He’s started the budget process. He has good ideas.”

Lunt signed a three-year contract with Monmouth. He hopes, among other things, to help the town enact its comprehensive plan and to grow as fast – or as slowly – as it wants.

“That’s the key for me, to be an asset to the town,” he said.