Biddeford hires interim City Manager

The Biddeford City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the hiring of Cornell Knight as interim City Manager.

Knight will replace Truc Devers, who in April, after just nine months on the job, submitted a letter of resignation effective Aug. 3.

“My goal will be to ensure continuity of operations and effective day-to-day management as the City moves forward in its search for a permanent City Manager,” said Knight in a written statement earlier this month.

Mayor Liam LaFountain on Tuesday said Knight has been in municipal government since the 1980s, and after retiring from the position of town manager in Bar Harbor held interim municipal management jobs in Baileyville, Hallowell, Jay, Winthrop, and Topsham.

“It’s a very small number of individuals that would have that type of experience,” he said.

Knight, who lives in Bar Harbor, will work 30 hours a week and be paid $115 an hour. He will be paid half his hourly rate for commuting time. Since he does not live within commuting distance, the city will pay for overnight accommodations at the government rate, according to the contract.

 LaFountain said there was no health insurance or retirement benefits included in the agreement.

“That’s a straight fee, without any benefits,” he said.

Devers salary was $195,000 a year, plus health insurance and retirement benefits.

LaFountain said that the average salary for a manager for a city the size of Biddeford is $175,000 to $225,000.

Knight said his plan is to work remotely on Monday, and work in person Tuesday through Thursday.

“I have found that being in the office is pretty important to staff, council and citizens,” he said.

The City Council voted to go into a $10,000 contract with Gerrish Municipal Consulting from Brunswick to assist the city in the search for a new city manager.

“Every city goes through transitions, and we’re going through one of those right now. How we manage that is the most important piece of it,” said LaFountain.

Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.