Gardner City formally introduced Iris Cuapo Mensa as the city’s new economic development and finance manager at the Economic Community Development Committee meeting on Sept. 19.

"Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Iris, and I'm originally from Ghana. I moved to the U.S. two years ago," Mensa said in brief remarks to the committee, adding she previously worked in grants management and financial administration for the Ministry of Finance in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Committee members and Director Stevens described her as experienced in grant management and financial reporting; Stevens said Mensa worked with Coastal Enterprise, Inc. and helped design work on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) impact measurement while on the Maine economic development plan.

Mensa said she is updating manuals and designing templates to document departmental processes so future staff are not "working blind," and that she plans to meet local businesses when her business outreach materials are ready. She told the committee she has been learning the city’s systems from staff including the treasurer and others who previously handled the finance manager role.

Council and committee members welcomed Mensa and praised her background. Director Stevens credited her with quickly parsing department finances and said the hire completes the department’s staffing goals. Committee members asked her to appear at future appointments and outreach events so she can introduce herself to the broader city council and to local businesses.

The committee took no formal vote on the hire at this meeting; Mensa’s introduction was an informational item on the agenda.