HALLOWELL – City Manager Todd Shea will take the reins of the town of Arundel, where the town office is only eight miles from his home.

Shea submitted his resignation to the Hallowell City Council in early March, saying the 80-mile commute to Hallowell from his Lyman residence was too burdensome on his family.

He told councilors at the time he would probably stay until July 1. His last day now is May 13.

Shea, 36, said Friday that the Arundel job opened in March, and he recently learned he’d been chosen for it.

“I’m familiar with the town because I grew up in Biddeford,” he said.

Arundel Selectman Dana Peck said Friday that Shea was the top candidate for the job. However, he said contract negotiations have not yet started.

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Scott Tilton has been interim town manager in Arundel while selectmen searched for a permanent replacement for former Town Manager John Fraser. The selectmen voted against renewing Fraser’s contract for a final year this past December.

Working in Arundel, Shea said, should save him $9,000 in annual commuting costs.

Shea’s salary was $57,000 in Hallowell.

In contrast to mostly compact Hallowell, Arundel is a rural bedroom community spread out over 24 square miles, with a population of 4,000 — about 1,000 more than Hallowell, where Shea has been city manager since December 2009. He served as Hallowell’s interim city manager and code enforcement officer before that.

“I love what I do,” Shea said.

 


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