Mead says farewell to town manager position, but not to town

Larry Mead waves to town staff Tuesday afternoon as he takes a ride in a ladder truck in honor of his retirement. SBN STAFF/Liz Gotthelf

Liz Gotthelf, Publisher•

OLD ORCHARD BEACH —Larry Mead kept his town manager’s report brief at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting.

He confessed he didn’t have much time to prepare a report, as he had spent much of the day celebrating his retirement with town staff.

It was Mead’s last night as town manager, a position he’s held for nearly eight years. Prior to Mead’s tenure, there had been a lot of turnover in the town manager position, and he recalled when he first took on the position, he told a reporter he intended on being the town manager “a good long while.”

Mead and his wife, Denise Clavette, moved to Old Orchard Beach nine years ago, about a year before he became town manager.

“I didn’t move here because I had the job. I was here because I wanted to be here, and then the job opportunity opened up. And, I still want to be here,” he said.

He said he intends to be an active member of the community, and join local committees and boards.

Town Councilor Louise Reid, who previously served as assistant town manager, recalled when she first met Mead, she jokingly questioned him regarding why he would want the position, as there had been a lot of turmoil in the town.

Reid said Mead walked into an extremely chaotic environment but brought sensibility to the town.

“Things turned around,” she said. After Mead became town manager, there was overall a more positive environment in town and Old Orchard Beach town politics was no longer the subject of gossip.

“We owe him a great deal,” she said.

Town Finance Director Diana Asanza will begin as the interim Town Manager beginning today, May 5. Asanza has been employed at the town’s finance director and treasurer since 2012. Mead said Asanza is a skilled manager and the town is “in good hands.”

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