When Bill Baker was named to lead Westbrook’s economic development efforts in 2012, many people questioned the decision. After all, Baker was formerly the city’s police chief who left to work with the FBI.

But, doubters were quick to disregard their concern.

“He was certainly an out-of-the-box type of hire for economic development and community relations,” said City Administrator Jerre Bryant this week. “But, whether it was a resident complaint, or a developer bringing forward a project, he took each of those projects on with a mentality that he was going to get it done, and quickly.”

During his tenure in Westbrook, which ended last week, the business climate, development interest and overall image of the city have all improved, and many are quick to point to Baker as a major reason.

Commercial development and new business activity have ramped up, from the opening of Idexx Laboratories’ multi-million dollar expansion to a host of small businesses relocating to downtown, such as Black Dinah Chocolatiers, Rosen’s Deli and Mast Landing Brewing Co. Each business has credited Baker and the city as easy to work with.

“I think it was pretty evident at his farewell reception (April 13) as you heard from those who spoke, that Bill Baker truly made a difference in our community by being a leader who believed that Westbrook is a great community, but could expect more and be more,” said Mayor Colleen Hilton this week, who appointed Baker to the job.

Baker, whose last day in the office was April 28, has not yet revealed what his new position in the private sector will be, but told the American Journal that he will be working as a public safety consultant for a Portland-area law firm.

Despite controversy last year sparked by a mocking email that was sent from Baker to Westbrook Mayor Colleen Hilton, Baker’s list of accomplishments during his time at City Hall, and his prior work as Westbrook police chief, is lengthy.

Baker, however, who turns 60 in July, says he’s most proud of the work that he did behind the scenes.

“What I’m most proud of is what most people didn’t see, such as the role I played in seeking customer service excellence from every department and department head. I pushed them hard,” he said.

Prior to his work at City Hall, Baker gained a reputation of someone who gets things done. As police chief from 2007-2011, and his prior police work, he also left his mark.

Westbrook resident Christine Latini said Baker once confronted a criminal at gunpoint while Latini was at a bank drive-through, safely directing her out of harm’s way.

Elizabeth Marquis, a New Hampshire resident, said this week that she knew Baker from his time as police chief in Seabrook, N.H. She said her daughter, Kelly, who recently died, struggled with substance abuse, and that Baker has continued to help, even after tragedy.

“I have reached out to Bill since and he has been so supporting, and has given me advice pointing me in the right direction, and he continues to reach out to me and give me much needed guidance, and hope,” she said. “We need more people like Bill Baker in this world.”

The river and downtown

In his work in city administration for the past four years, many point to his overarching focus on the river.

While the future of the Presumpscot River is still unwritten, Baker has been credited with refocusing the city on the river’s importance as both an environmental asset and potential draw for recreation downtown.

As police chief, Baker made a splash when he traversed Saccarappa Falls in a kayak in order to raise money for My Place Teen Center, and a year into Baker’s tenure at City Hall, the city installed ramps and floats along the riverwalk.

But, according to Bryant, one of Baker’s first and most lasting accomplishments as director of economic development and community relations was securing Sappi Fine Paper and multiple environmental organizations to align with a plan to look at natural fish passage at Saccarappa Falls. Rather than have a large, metal fish ladder on one of the downtown’s most visible sites, Baker envisioned the site as a tool for economic development.

“He really sought to make the Presumpscot a stronger piece of the downtown character,” Bryant said. “He saw the river and Saccarappa Falls as a unique feature that sets Westbrook apart.”

Sappi and the environmental groups are still working to agree on a design, but the essence of Baker’s vision is intact. However, Baker said, the fish passage project is one that he wishes he had finished prior to leaving.

Hilton said he took “divergent groups who historically were not trusting of each other,” and got them to collaborate.

“He convinced them to come back to the table, when they didn’t have to,” Bryant added, referring to Sappi. He expects Baker will still be getting some phone calls as the project progresses.

His focus on the river and downtown also led to the formation of the Downtown Westbrook Coalition, an organization focused on Main Street revitalization. Baker was responsible for hosting public meetings about the need for such an organization, which uses the national Main Street model to revitalize downtowns.

While also unfinished, Baker has also been closely involved in discussions between the owners of the now-empty One Riverfront Plaza and Maine Medical Center, which may be seeking to purchase the building that formerly housed Disability RMS.

Rob Mitchell, the owner of HVAC Services, believes in the potential impact of the river, and he combined Baker’s vision for the river and the downtown into a development opportunity. Last year, Mitchell built a four-story office building with frontage on the river, and has since attracted a premier tenant.

“I just look at all the things he’s helped me with,” Mitchell said during April’s news conference. “My building is full because of him.”

Mitchell also owns property off Lincoln Street with river frontage above the falls. While he recently tore down the old boathouse, he’s waiting to see what happens with the fish passage prior to launching another project there, perhaps with recreational amenities.

However, there are people, such as Andy Curran, who believe Baker and the city could have done more for the downtown, and especially the arts.

Curran, who opened and closed two downtown businesses while Baker was in office, said Wednesday that Baker had great successes in Westbrook in the outlying areas, but would have like to have seen “more focus on small businesses in the downtown village.”

Business owner and mayoral candidate James Tranchemontagne, who is often an outspoken critic of the city administration, believes the city needs to hire someone who has owned a business to lead the economic development department.

“It’s important to the future of the downtown, and Westbrook, that we have someone in that role that has run a business, made payroll, understands marketing and has a proven record in other communities,” he said, mentioning the loss of former employees Keith Luke and Eric Carson. “As a business owner, I would like to see that level of respect and outreach brought back to Westbrook.”

Development and image

Kathie Dioli, co-owner of Schlotterbeck & Foss, which relocated to Westbrook two years ago, said during the  news conference in April announcing Baker’s departure that he “made it really clear that Westbrook is a city that welcomes business. I now tell other businesses that they should be looking at this community.”

Other regional developers and brokers believe Baker was a key component in attracting new projects in the city.

Chris Hall, from the Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce, said this week that Baker “was a dynamo for growth and development for Westbrook and the entire region.”

During the news conference two weeks ago, real estate broker Mark Malone, who has worked with Baker on some challenging projects, including the redevelopment of the former Maine Rubber parcel, called Baker “the No. 1 guy” among all the surrounding municipalities.

On top of commercial development, Baker also succeeded in attracting new events in Westbrook, both as a way to boost tourism dollars and the city’s image. Tough Mudder, the national obstacle course event, has now taken over Sunset Ridge Golf Links for a weekend the past two summers.

“Numerous high-profile events were brought to Westbrook under his leadership and many more are in the works because of the work he did with the Portland-based Convention and Visitors Bureau,” said Hilton.

Lynn Tillotson, from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Baker will be a big loss for Westbrook. She said Baker has a positive attitude and is innovative.

“His efforts put Westbrook on the map for tourism, meetings, and sporting events and his presence will be missed,” she said. “We hope his legacy will continue and Westbrook continues down the path that Bill has set forth.”

Baker said he’s proud of some of the “creative” approaches he took to certain projects, including many public-private partnerships. Most recently, he helped the city expand the acreage of its City Forest, which will add miles of trails.

But Baker also improved the city’s image through the community relations side of his job, often helping in unique situations, such as substandard housing and a bed-bug crisis. He also led the redesign of the city’s website, which won an award, and a number of city image surveys.

Bryant said Baker was an employee who routinely logged long hours, often the first in the office, and last to leave. A few times, he said, he felt compelled to ask Baker to leave early, or skip a meeting.

Deb Shangraw, a Westbrook business owner who was responsible for making the controversial email public last year, said this week that the embarrassing revelations do not take away from his numerous accomplishments.

“He worked well with many of the businesses in our city and also worked with many that have come here and are now coming here,” she said. “I believe Bill did the job he was hired to do and has done it well.”

As for the future, Baker said when asked what he foresees for Westbrook five years from now, “I see a really optimistic future with a balance of growth, preservation of open space and an emphasis on Westbrook’s many assets, including the river, our employers, our superb infrastructure and public services, and our passionate, committed citizens.”

The city is now in the process of hiring an interim position to replace Baker. Bryant said the position could be anywhere from three to nine months while they search for a permanent replacement. He said they’re hoping to hire an interim as soon as possible.

Bryant said he and Hilton may have to relook at the scope of the position.

“My concern going forward is, are we going to be able to find someone to step in with those broad capabilities?” he said, referring to Baker. “I hope we can, but I think that type of individual may be more unique than everyone realizes.”

Bill Baker, the assistant city administrator from 2012-2016, announced that he was leaving the post for the private sector April 13. During the conference, he said he was “humbled and grateful” to the praise he received about his impact on Westbrook.

Bill Baker paddles down the Presumpscot River in 2013, during a year in which he refocused the city on the river’s importance. That year, the city installed ramps and floats along the river, and Baker worked with Sappi Fine Paper and environmental groups to relook at natural fish passage at Saccarappa Falls.

Baker also impacted Westbrook during his tenure as police chief from 2007-2011.

Westbrook Assistant City Administrator Bill Baker stands on the back of ‘Everest’ at Sunset Ridge Golf Links in 2014, days before the “Tough Mudder” event made its first appearance in the city, bringing with it more than 10,000 people.