BETHEL – A former Rumford town manager will begin serving Bethel in the same capacity, according to a unanimous vote of selectmen to approve an employment contract with him Monday night.

James G. Doar, 31, moved to Bethel last year and will become town manager June 15.

“I’m really excited,” Doar said. “I really enjoy working at the local level in government.”

He will replace Scott Cole, who had served as town manager since June 1999. Cole previously served as the town manager of Standish for six years. Selectmen declined to renew Cole’s $77,000-a-year contract this year.

Under the employment agreement signed Monday night, Doar will serve as town manager for the next three years with a starting salary of $52,000. He said his salary will increase to $54,500 in the second year and $55,500 in the third year.

“I’m certainly happy to help the new manager,” Cole said Monday. “I know him personally; he’s a good man.”

Cole said he would be willing to work some overlapping time with Doar, and Doar requested at least one week of such an arrangement. Cole declined to comment on his plans following his departure.

Originally of Aroostook County, Doar served as Rumford’s town manager for one year between 2007 and 2008. He left that position after deciding not to extend his contract.

Doar graduated from Caribou High School in 1996 and served four years with the 82nd Airborne of the U.S. Army. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in public administration from Florida State University.

Prior to becoming Rumford’s town manager, Doar worked as a legislative coordinator and interim chief executive officer of the Florida Economic Development Council, as well as a state budget analyst in New York. He took a job as a financial analyst with NewPage Corp. in Rumford after leaving the Rumford town manager’s position.

The decision to hire Doar was made by the selectmen after two workshop meetings in May in which candidates for the position were interviewed. On Saturday, the Sun Journal challenged the legality of the meetings, saying formal notice of the meetings was not posted on the town calendar or given to either the Sun Journal or the Bethel Citizen.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Stan Howe previously denied that board members corresponded by phone or e-mail about the candidates. The Sun Journal recently filed requests under the state Freedom of Access Act for access to the public notices of the May meetings as well as any correspondence among the board members on the candidates.

After a 15-minute executive session, Howe said Monday that the board would file a response to the Sun Journal’s request Friday.