Karin Petrin
steps down as Mars Hill’s town manager
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
MARS HILL — At Monday night’s Town Council meeting, Karin Petrin formally stepped down as Mars Hill’s town manager.
In an e-mail sent Monday afternoon, Petrin said while a “very difficult decision,” it was one she believed to be the best “both for me personally and the organization.”
“The success of a town’s government is dependent upon the effectiveness of the Town’s Council (or Select Board) and Town Manager relationship. A young Town Council benefits from an experienced manager and vice-versa, presumably,” said Petrin. “As such, the probationary period has served its purpose to determine the compatibility of the candidate to the position in the organization. At this juncture, the probationary period has ended and the Mars Hill Town Council and I have mutually agreed that this is not a good fit.
“I believe this has been the opportunity of a lifetime and truly appreciate all the patience the community has afforded me as I have worked to learn and understand a new-to-me role and industry,” she said. “Some say it is not work when you love what you do. I concur. I have willingly given of myself to advance what I have understood to be the wishes of the community and the Council.”
Petrin was hired May 16, her first day at the office was May 20, and she was officially appointed by the Town Council June 17. She replaced Dan McClung whose contract was not renewed.
Although in the position for a relatively short time, Petrin said she gave all her passion to the task.
“It has been a privilege to assist community volunteers with collaborative projects intent to add beauty to the town. I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my aspirations for a Downtown Revitalization Committee and met many wonderful and energetic people during the process,” she said. “I take great pride in the small part I played which brought Rosella’s of Mars Hill, an acupuncture facility that is currently being built, and possibly a coffee and baked goods franchise to this quaint small town in rural Maine.
“I have explored with generous and forward-thinking community members the possibility of establishing an incubator business in conjunction with an entrepreneurship program at the high school. I have listened and coordinated efforts to begin the process to clean up abandoned and dangerous buildings around town, and explored options to reuse vacant town properties for walking, biking and hiking trails/facilities, as well as an information center,” said Petrin.
This was Petrin’s first municipal government position. More recently, she owned the web design company, The County Life. She has also worked at Door Services, Inc., Lowe’s and WEGP.
“I am very grateful to all the wonderful employees, board members, and community members that have worked with me, guided me, listened to me, believed in me, and stood by as I learned the many facets of being a town manager,” she said. “Because of you, my passion for the position has remained. Thank you.”
Petrin said she’s weighing “a couple of different opportunities” that have presented themselves, but is not ruling out another position in the public sector.
