BRUNSWICK

The town of Brunswick and the Maine Municipal Association have narrowed the search for its next town manager to six candidates, and one of those finalists is the current Interim Town Manager John Eldridge.

Council Chairman Benet Pols said the initial pool received by the MMA was 49 candidates.

“We have had substantial progress,” Pols said, adding that the candidates “covered the country to a surprising degree. A lot of them worked in many states.”

Many candidates have worked in managing other municipalities.

“They ran the gamut from managers of small northern New England communities, to big urban complexes, on up to the size of communities big enough to host an NHL franchise,” said Pols.

However, Pols said he noted a “curious lack of women,” noting only four female candidates applied.

Eldridge’s candidacy was confirmed on Friday.

Eldridge, who has been the town’s finance director for about 25 years, has served as interim manager since February. At the time, he appeared disinclined to take the job permanently.

“I wouldn’t say never,” he said in a February interview, “but I would say it’s not likely that I would apply.”

Eldridge had previously worked as town manager in South Berwick and in Bradley.

Eldridge’s predecessor, Gary Brown, had also served as an interim town manager before taking on the job in 2009. Brown’s tenure was marked by at-times contention between members of the council. His resignation was to have taken place March 31 under an agreement with the council. The council, in a sharply divided vote, ended his tenure on Feb. 10.

On Friday, Eldridge declined to discuss his candidacy in any detail.

“Out of respect for the council and the selection process, I feel it is best for me to limit my comment to confirming that I have applied,” Eldridge stated in an email to The Times Record. “I’d be more than happy to comment in detail at the appropriate time.”

The names of the five other candidates are being withheld until they notify their employers that they are seeking the Brunswick position.

The final six are all currently in management positions working for communities in New England, said Pols, and three are in Maine.

Those candidates will likely be coming to Brunswick for in-person interviews toward the end of this month, submitting additional materials and undergoing a more intensive background check, at which point serious candidates are expected to notify their current employers, said Pols.

After that round of interviews,

Pols said the council will be seeking some sort of citizen involvement.

A workshop held in June meant to gather input on the search process attracted about a dozen people. Pols said the questions raised were thoughtful, but he wants more residents to participate.

“Hopefully, we’ll get citizen engagement regarding what characteristics and qualities people like,” Pols said.

jswinconeck@timesrecord.com

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