HOULTON, Maine — The town council has chosen a Wiscasset woman to be its next town manager.
Marian Anderson, town manager for Wiscasset, is expected to be named Houlton’s new town manager at the Monday, Jan. 14, council meeting. She replaces William MacDonald, who abruptly resigned from the post Sept. 4, less than nine months into the job.
Anderson was reached at the Wiscasset Town Office Wednesday morning and confirmed she has accepted the Houlton position. The hiring is not complete, however, until Houlton’s council meets on Jan. 14.
Anderson gave her resignation in Wiscasset Tuesday, Jan. 8. Her final day there will be Feb. 8.
Anderson said she was eagerly looking forward to her move from the Shiretown of Lincoln County to the Shiretown of Aroostook County and more so, was especially looking forward to the vast amounts of snow for which Houlton is known.
“I’m excited,” Anderson said. “I haven’t decided yet if I am going to get a big shovel, or a snowmobile. I am very much looking forward to moving to Houlton.”
Anderson is Wiscasset’s longest-tenured town manager, having served in that capacity since 2014.
“I am very proud of the things that we have accomplished here in Wiscasset,” she said. “My contract, however, was up this year and the opportunity for Houlton came up.”
Houlton Town Council Chairman Jane Torres said Wednesday that of all 21 of the candidates that applied for the position, Anderson was the right choice for the town.
“Of all the candidates, she really stood out as the best fit for Houlton,” Torres said. “Not only is she a licensed tax assessor, she also has experience in code enforcement and has written federal grants. Her experience as town manager in Wiscasset during a very trying time indicates to us that she can handle the issues of economic development that Houlton will be addressing in the coming year. The town council is looking forward to working with Ms. Anderson.”
Anderson said she was somewhat familiar with Aroostook County as her husband is a former truck driver who hauled goods in the area. Her brother also attended the University of Maine at Presque Isle.
“It (Aroostook) has always been a place that we have liked,” she said. “When this opportunity came up, we felt like it was a great time for us to make the change. We are really looking forward to it.”
She becomes just the second female town manager in Houlton’s history. Peggy Daigle was the first in the early 2000s. Anderson stated she would be in attendance for the Monday, Jan. 14, council meeting in Houlton.
