WATERVILLE — Nicholas Cloutier says there are a lot of great things going on in the city as well as real challenges that affect people’s daily lives, and he is dedicated to serving both of those needs equally.

Cloutier, the new city manager who will start his job Jan. 5, was speaking Tuesday night to the City Council, which voted 5-0 to approve his three-year contract.

“I’m going to roll up my sleeves,” he said, “and do the hard work and put in the time and effort to help the staff that’s already doing an amazing job, double the efforts and continue that progress.”

A Waterville native, Cloutier, 41, of Scarborough, has been assessor and director of special projects for the town of Scarborough. He plans to move to Waterville with his wife, Anna, as soon as possible.

He said he believes he has the ability to care more than the average person, given his connection to the city.

“I came from here and I want this place to thrive, and I feel like I’m not alone in that,” he said. “So, in the coming months and years, I want people to know I’m in it for the long term and I want to work with you.”

Cloutier succeeds Bryan Kaenrath who left the position in May after only 18 months to become city administrator in Lewiston. Cornell Knight has been acting city manager since then.

Councilor Brandon Gilley, D-Ward 1, reflected on the city’s long search for a new city manager after Kaenrath left.

“We searched for quite a while for a city manager, and it has been an incredible task,” Gilley said, “and there have been great candidates, but I can confidently say that Waterville is in some great hands with Nick Cloutier. This is going to be great, and all the prosperity that we want for Waterville, Mr. Cloutier, I believe is going to be able for us, going to be able to take the ball and run with it, so I’m very pleased.”

Council Chairwoman Rebecca Green, D-Ward 4, agreed, and Councilor Spencer Krigbaum, D-Ward 5, welcomed Cloutier back to Waterville.

Mayor Mike Morris commended Knight for his work filling in as manager.

“You really have helped kind of keep the wheels on the bus, so to speak, and we certainly appreciate all of your efforts in what was supposed to be probably a short term stint for you, which just kept going and going,” Morris said.

Cloutier will be paid an annual salary of $165,000 with eight days vacation on the day he starts and may accrue vacation at the rate of 12 days a year, according to his five-page contract. He will have eight days sick leave on his starting date and will be entitled to accumulate 960 hours of sick leave. His automobile allowance is $400 a month.

“I’m extremely excited,” Cloutier told the council and audience. “I’m not jumping up and down now because it’s a public forum but that’s the kind of energy I have inside right now, to be not only a career move but more importantly, the literal move, coming back to my hometown. I’ve had an incredible journey serving other communities, most recently Scarborough, which I’m very grateful for those opportunities, but there’s something to be said for coming back home and not just to live but to be a public servant, and I’m humbled and excited to be granted that opportunity.”

Morris said the city is happy to have Cloutier on board. A formal, public meet-and-greet event with refreshments and cash bar will be held for him from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 11 at Waterville Public Library, he said.

More than a dozen candidates applied for the position in the most recent search, which was the third the city conducted, and five were interviewed. Two, including Cloutier, were called back for second interviews.