DIXFIELD — The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday night to appoint Linda Pagels-Wentworth as the new town manager.

Pagels-Wentworth will replace interim Town Manager Eugene Skibitsky, who resigned in September 2012, but agreed to stay with the town in the interim after selectmen were unsuccessful in their first search for a manager.

“Did your shoulders lift a little bit?” Selectman Bob Withrow asked Skibitsky after the vote went through, to which Skibitsky laughed and nodded.

Among the other positions that Pagels-Wentworth was appointed to were road commissioner, tax collector, town clerk and treasurer.

The board also unanimously voted to appoint former Sgt. Jeffrey Howe of the Dixfield Police Department to the position of lieutenant. The appointment was recommended by Chief Richard Pickett.

Selectman Hart Daley said he agreed with Howe’s promotion, but was curious whether the department would have to be restructured and if anybody else would be taking the sergeant position.

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Pickett said, “The sergeant’s position will remain here, but it won’t be filled,” adding that there will be no pay increase with Howe’s promotion to lieutenant.

In other business, the board unanimously voted for the Public Works department to temporarily alter its operating hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., to 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Public Works employee Craig Woods said their union contract states that “they may alter their operating hours at any time,” with the board’s permission.

Skibitsky told the board that this issue has been brought up in the past, with prior boards citing noise complaints as the major reason for avoiding the switch.

The altered hours will go into effect May 28 and will remain so until Columbus Day, Oct. 14, 2013.

Shortly after the vote, Skibitsky joked, “Just don’t do any weed whacking at 6 a.m.” He laughed and added, “No doing a lot of backing up in trucks, either.”

mdaigle@sunjournal.com


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