WINSLOW — The Winslow Town Council has narrowed the list of candidates to one as it looks to fill the town manager’s position after Michael Heavener retired last Tuesday.

Town councilors met in executive session Tuesday afternoon and agreed on the person they hope will succeed Heavener.

“The committee did agree on a candidate,” interim Town Manager Paul Fongemie said in an email. “And we will be having further discussions at Monday’s council meeting in executive session to finalize an employment offer. We are moving forward.”

Winslow Town Manager Michael Heavener, pictured at the town office, is retiring from the job he unexpectedly came to love after serving since 2006. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel Buy this Photo

The finalist’s name has yet to be released.

Town Council Chair Ray Caron said councilors began the applicant-review and interviewing processes with a large pool of candidates.

“In the initial process, we had around 30 applicants,” Caron said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “We narrowed those 30 down to about five to seven and had Zoom interviews. Then we narrowed it down even further, to three people.

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During that process, one person dropped out, so we’ve interviewed the two candidates and today we’ll meet to discuss the position.” 

Caron said a committee of seven council members, two department heads and two residents was assembled to interview the candidates.

The council has also received guidance on the hiring process from David Barrett, director of personnel services and labor relations for the Maine Municipal Association in Augusta.

Fongemie, also the director of Public Works in Winslow, will serve as interim town manager until the new manager begins, possibly in October.

Heavener, who served as town manager for 14 years, said in an interview in June he has volunteered to return when the new manager begins in the fall to show him or her the town’s budgeting process.

The next Town Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday at the Town Office, 114 Benton Ave.

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