BRUNSWICK

Brunswick’s town council on Monday unanimously approved John Eldridge’s town manager contract.

The contract is likely to be signed today, according to Eldridge.

Among the terms of the contract voted on by the council, Eldridge will make $112,000 annually. The town will contribute the equivalent of 12.5 percent of that salary toward Eldridge’s retirement fund. He will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses. He will receive health, dental and life insurance, as well as other benefits generally provided to town employees.

As the town’s finance director, Eldridge was paid $92,700. He earned an additional $1,000 monthly stipend when he was made interim town manager.

Chairman Benet Pols had previously stated that details of Eldridge’s contract, including salary and benefits, and the town’s contribution to his retirement fund, ought to be held in open session. However, the council met for about 90 minutes in closed session to discuss Eldridge’s contract.

No discussion, with the exception of a brief overview of the contract, occurred Monday in open session.

Before entering into executive session, Pols noted that the council would likely discuss the amount of vacation time accrued by Eldridge as finance director.

Town policy states that 240 hours can be carried over a year, Pols had previously stated. Eldridge had accrued 1,300 hours over his 26 years as finance director, according to Pols.

The vacation time could have been a liability for the town when Eldridge leaves his position.

Under the new contract, the council capped the value of the unused vacation time at $30,000.

Eldridge will receive five weeks of vacation a year under the new contract, and the 1,300 accrued hours have been cut to 240 hours going forward, said Pols.

Eldridge succeeds Gary Brown, whose resignation was to have taken effect March 31. In a split decision, the council ended Brown’s tenure in early February instead. Brown served as the town’s head administrator since 2009 after being hired as assistant town manager in May 2007. His resignation was announced in December 2013. Brown was paid $109,525 annually.

Eldridge took over as interim manager soon after Brown left, while at the same time continuing as finance director.

In the ensuing months, the council whittled down a field of 49 town manager applicants to three in August. One candidate dropped out, leaving Eldridge and Presque Isle City Manager Jim Bennett as finalists.

Eldridge appeared to be a public favorite at public question-and-answer forums that took place for the two candidates.

However, the decision to enter into negotiations with Eldridge was not unanimous at a 5-3 vote in September. Two councilors said they were concerned about voting without a full council present. Councilor John Richardson wasn’t present at that meeting.

Councilor Gerald Favreau — who also voted in February against making Eldridge interim town manager — said that Bennett was his preferred candidate.

Eldridge is expected to resign as finance director, and mentioned that he could appoint Deputy Finance Director Julie Henze in his place.

Eldridge deal

AMONG THE TERMS of the contract voted on by the town council, John Eldridge will make $112,000 annually. The town will contribute the equivalent of 12.5 percent of that salary toward Eldridge’s retirement fund. He will be reimbursed for travel and other expenses. He will receive health, dental and life insurance, as well as other benefits generally provided to town employees.

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