BIDDEFORD — Some familiar faces in Biddeford’s Planning Department have departed — Planning and Development Director Mathew Eddy has moved on to a new position in the Midcoast, and City Planner Greg Tansley, a city employee since 2004, has retired, city officials said. Both left the city’s employ in March.
Mayor Alan Casavant said the city has advertised and conducted interviews for the planning position.
“A hiring will occur shortly,” Casavant said.
Eddy, who began his job in Biddeford in 2017 after several years as Economic Development director in Kennebunk, has been hired as director of the Midcoast Council of Governments.
Greg Mitchell, a former Economic Development director for the city of Portland, is overseeing Biddeford’s economic development projects on a contractual basis.
Mitchell has been getting up to speed on projects and keeping the process moving forward, Casavant said.
“He’s been excellent in that regard,” said Casavant.
The Economic Development position has not yet been advertised.
“The Planning and Economic Development office is very busy, so we want to take our time to make sure that not only (do) we have the right pieces in place, but that the jobs are correctly aligned to meet the current pressures and demands,” said Casavant.
Biddeford Assistant Planning Director Hannah Bonine, the sole staff planner at present, said the office is busy and the workload is steady.
“We still (see the) same number of projects coming through, and (a) full slate for Planning Board meetings,” she said.
Currently, Bonine is assisted in the Planning Office by Lee Jay Feldman of Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission and Christpher DeMatteo of Long Meadow Planning and Landscape Architecture.
‘”Having Chris and Lee Jay has been a big help,” she said.
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