WATERVILLE — The search for a new city manager will soon be underway with the hiring of Eaton-Peabody Consulting Group of Augusta.

Waterville City Manager Bryan Kaenrath announced his resignation Jan. 30 to become Lewiston’s new city administrator. Amy Calder/Morning Sentinel

It is the same firm the city used to find City Manager Bryan Kaenrath, who last week announced he is leaving after 18 months to become city administrator for the city of Lewiston. The city paid Eaton Peabody $9,000 for the 2023 search; it will pay $8,000 for the new search.

Kaenrath, 39, was hired in 2023 for a salary of $155,000 with a five-year contract that allows the contract to be broken with a 90-day notice.

The City Council voted unanimously in February 2023 to hire Eaton Peabody to help search for a new city manager to succeed Steve Daly, who abruptly resigned in December 2022. Daly resigned with only a one-day notice.

The 7-0 vote two years ago followed a report by then acting City Manager Bill Post, who said he contacted five firms and received two proposals: one from Eaton Peabody for $9,000 and another from Maine Municipal Association for $6,400.

The city used MMA to help search for a city manager before Daly was hired. Daly resigned after nearly two years into a three-year contract, citing urgent personal circumstances. He had earned $125,000 his first year and $130,000 the second year.

The City Council waived cloture Tuesday to take up an item not on the agenda and voted 6-0 to hire Eaton Peabody for the new search. Maine Municipal Association also submitted a proposal, for $6,600.

Councilors expressed the need to quickly hire a search firm to start the process, with Kaenrath’s resignation becoming effective May 1 and a heavy workload for Eaton Peabody, which they said did a great job finding Kaenrath.

But Councilor Flavia DeBrito, D-Ward 2, objected to having been notified of the proposals by Eaton Peabody and Maine Municipal Association just an hour before Tuesday’s council meeting. New Councilor Cathy Herard, D-Ward 7, agreed with DeBrito, saying it was a lot of information to review in a short period of time.

DeBrito said it appeared some other councilors discussed the proposals prior to the meeting and she was left out of that discussion. With the previous search, councilors met with City Solicitor William A. Lee to discuss the process, she said.

“For something to be sent to me an hour before the meeting is not appropriate,” DeBrito said.

Council Chair Rebecca Green, D-Ward 4, said she thought councilors got the proposals all at the same time, but she acknowledged that it happened quickly.

Councilor Thomas Klepach, D-Ward 3, said there was a difference when the search for Kaenrath started in that Daly was assistant city manager at the time and could take over as interim manager. The assistant’s job has since been eliminated. Klepach said Eaton Peabody handles more than 75% of such searches throughout the state, has the knowledge and experience to help conduct the search and the city has worked with the firm before.

DeBrito said she was ready to vote on hiring a firm Tuesday, but she objected to the speed at which everything came to the council.

“I just want the public to know the two proposals that came in,” she said.

Mayor Mike Morris said Thursday that he thinks the manager’s job will be posted soon, with an application deadline around the end of March. The council would start conducting interviews starting in April, and an offer could be made to someone in early May, he said.

“Given that the person we’re hiring is likely to have to give notice at their current job, we could have someone in the position anywhere between May and August, in my estimation,” Morris said.

The mayor said it’s important to note that during the application submission and interview process the City Council should not rush to hire someone.

“If the first group of candidates does not meet our needs, we should be open to reposting the ad,” he said.  “It’s critical that we don’t just find a candidate, but that we find the right candidate for us here in Waterville.”