WATERVILLE — The City Council voted 6-0 Tuesday to appoint a municipal manager with 40 years experience to serve as interim city manager when City Manager Bryan Kaenrath leaves May 1 to become city manager in Lewiston.

Cornell Knight will start May 5 in the part-time position and will be paid $95 an hour, according to a draft contract.

Cornell Knight Photo courtesy of Cornell Knight

He has served five stints as interim manager, in Hancock County, Farmington, Bar Harbor, Orono and most recently, Pittsfield.

“Really, the interim job is just to keep things moving along so there’s not a backlog of items when the new manager is hired,” Knight told the Waterville council March 18.

Knight spoke at a March 18 council meeting at which he said he has a degree in public management from the University of Maine in Orono, and retired in 2022 after more than seven years managing the town of Bar Harbor. He started his career as town manager of Baileyville and then became city manager of Hallowell, then Jay, Winthrop and Topsham before being employed by Bar Harbor.

Kaenrath announced earlier this year, after 18 months as city manager, that he planned to resign from his Waterville position May 1 to become city manager in Lewiston. The council voted Feb. 6 to hire Eaton-Peabody Consulting Group of Augusta to search for a new city manager at a cost of $8,000. That firm is the same one the city used to find Kaenrath. Waterville hired Kaenrath in May 2023 at a salary of $155,000.

Knight worked with Don Gerrish of Eaton-Peabody on some municipal manager searches in the past but said is no longer with that firm.

Councilors on Tuesday voted to make some language changes to Knight’s draft contract, at the request of City Solicitor William A. Lee III. Councilor Brandon Gilley, D-Ward 1, said he wanted the manager’s work to go on uninterrupted when Kaenrath leaves and until a new manager is hired.

“Until we find a new city manager, we need an interim,” he said.

Chairwoman Rebecca Green, D-Ward 4, agreed.

“I think it’s important to have this person in place as soon as Bryan leaves us, and this individual comes highly recommended,” she said of Knight. “I think it’s a great choice to help bridge the gap, between the outgoing city manager, and incoming.”

Mayor Mike Morris said hiring Knight was the first step in moving the process along. Councilors are expected to review city manager candidates’ information in an executive session at a special meeting Thursday. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the City Hall Annex at 46 Front St. with a budget workshop. The council is expected to vote to go into executive session.

Morris said the council is not expected to  take any votes after closing that session.

Knight’s draft employment contract with the city lists his responsibilities, which include overseeing and coordinating daily operations of city government and its departments; implementing policies, decisions and directives set forth by the city charter to ensure efficient and effective administration; providing leadership and guidance to city staff; fostering a positive work environment and promoting teamwork and cooperation among departments; and preparing and presenting reports.

Knight said he thinks he will know after a couple of weeks with the city how many hours he would need to work per week. In Orono, he worked 24 hours  a week, and in Pittsfield, he was asked to work 30, he said. He was interim in Orono seven months; Hancock County, three months; Farmington, six months; Bar Harbor, as interim, three months; and Pittsfield, one month, he said.