LEWISTON — Nate Libby has been dismissed as the city’s director of economic and community development after less than two years on the job.
Libby, a former longtime state legislator, was placed on administrative leave by the city this week, and he is not expected to return.
City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath confirmed that Libby had been placed on leave but could not discuss reasons for the move because it’s a personnel matter.
Likewise, Libby said he could not get into details about his dismissal.
“I love Lewiston,” Libby said, “and I have committed 15 years of my career to serving the city and its people. I’d love to share my side of the story, but on the advice of my attorney, I can’t say anything more right now.”
Libby was hired as assistant director of economic development in the spring of 2024. He took on the director’s role in early 2025 after the retirement of Lincoln Jeffers, who had held the position for two decades.
John Blais, the city’s deputy director of economic and community development, will take over as interim director.
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said the situation should not disrupt city business.
“We’re not going to skip a beat,” he said. “Interim Director Blais and our economic development team are actively engaged on all the various projects we have going on around the city. Feel free to reach out. Lewiston is open for business.”
Libby, who was once the Senate majority leader in Augusta, served as president of Community Concepts Finance Corp. before he was hired in Lewiston. He also served as president of housing development for Community Concepts, overseeing a $35 million affordable housing portfolio in western Maine.
Libby, originally from Norridgewock, attended Bates College and remained in Lewiston after graduating. He’s a former city councilor, former adviser to the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council, and was chair of Lewiston’s Universally Accessible Playground Committee, where he led the development of Maine’s first public universally accessible playground for people of all ages with special needs.
