Biddeford City Manager receives raise with contract extension

BIDDEFORD — City Manager Jim Bennett was recently named the new Maine Municipal Association President and received a pay increase with a contract extension from the city.

Bennett has served as City Administrator in Biddeford since 2015. He started his municipal career in 1982 as a member of the Board of Selectpersons in his hometown of Lisbon and was reelected in 1985, according to a press release from the MMA. Bennett was hired as the Town Manager of Dixfield in 1986, where he served two years. He has also served in administrator or manager positions for the municipalities of New Gloucester, Old Orchard Beach, Westbrook, Lewiston, Sabattus and Presque Isle.

He was sworn in as Maine Municipal Association’s 2022 President on Sept. 30 at the organization’s 85th Annual Conference in Augusta. Bennett has served in numerous other leadership roles including Past President of the Maine Town, City and County Municipal Association and Past President of the International City/County Management Association.

Last week, the Biddeford City Council extended Bennett’s contract a year so that it will now end in July 2024, according to the newly revised document. The newly revised contract also increases Bennett’s annual salary from $132,248.58 to $137,500, effective retroactively Aug. 1, 2021. His annual salary will increase to $142,500 on Aug. 1, 2022, and will increase to $147,500 on Aug. 1, 2023.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at [email protected].