BETHEL — The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted Monday evening to appoint Orrington resident Christine M. Landes as town manager.

Chairman Stan Howe said Landes, who is married with three children and one grandchild, was “selected from 35 applicants from 19 states as far west as California and as far south as Georgia.

“That just gives you an idea of the scope we were looking at,” Howe said. “We ended up interviewing eight of those applicants and were able to narrow it down to one.”

According to a news release by Howe, Landes has worked for more than 16 years as the town clerk of Warren, the deputy tax collector in Orange Park, Fla., the deputy town clerk in Veazie and deputy town clerk in Brewer.

She also served as branch manager of Waldoboro Bank in Rockland for eight years.

Landes studied at Thomas College, Florida State College and the University of Maine, according to Howe’s release, and is expected to complete a degree in public administration in May 2015.

“I am delighted to begin this new challenge of serving the people in Bethel,” Landes said. “I look forward to working with everyone to ensure that Bethel continues to prosper. This has been a long time coming.”

Howe said, “We’re pleased to announce this appointment of a person who has broad municipal experience, vision, good work ethic along with plenty of enthusiasm and energy to serve collaboratively with the public, staff and board to ensure all the best results for Bethel in the years ahead.”

Landes will begin Nov. 17, replacing interim Town Manager Steve Eldridge, who has served in the position since May after former Town Manager Jim Doar resigned.

Her salary from Nov. 17 to July 1, 2015, is $33,000, and will be bumped up to $55,000 during the next fiscal year.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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