AUBURN — The city is seeking a new economic development director after the departure of Michael Chammings, and is using the transition to restructure several departments.

City Manager Phil Crowell confirmed Tuesday that Chammings, who had served as director of economic and community development since 2016, has not been employed in Auburn since Aug. 21.

Crowell said Chammings’ five-year contract was expiring at the start of next year and he chose not to renew the contract. Crowell declined to offer further details on his decision, stating it is a personnel matter.

Now, city administration is looking to shuffle departments previously overseen by Chammings. The director position oversaw economic and community development, as well as planning and code enforcement, but those departments will soon be split.

For now, Eric Cousens, former deputy director of economic and community development, has stepped into an interim director position, but Crowell said the city is “interviewing to fill the vacant economic development director position now.”

Auburn’s management ranks have seen considerable turnover in the last year, starting with the retirement of former City Manager Peter Crichton and promotion of Crowell to the manager position. The city then hired Brian Wood as the new assistant city manager in June of this year.

Chammings was hired in Auburn in January 2016, after serving as town manager and economic development director in Oxford.

At the time of his hiring, Chammings replaced Roland Miller, who retired after 35 years in the position.

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