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Ellsworth announces new deputy city manager; Finance Committee hears accelerated budget timeline
Summary
City leadership announced Sarah Devlin as incoming deputy city manager and the Finance Committee was briefed on an accelerated budget timeline that would present school and city budgets together to make more informed mill‑rate decisions.
City leadership told the Finance Committee that Sarah Devlin has been hired as Ellsworth’s deputy city manager and will start Feb. 10. Devlin was described by staff as the executive director of the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transit System with experience in transportation, planning and municipal work. The announcement said Devlin lives in the area and was selected from more than 200 applicants.
Committee members then discussed the municipal budget schedule. Staff said they plan to provide both the school and city sides of the proposed budget earlier in the process so councilors can consider the entire mill‑rate and make cuts on both sides before either budget is finalized. Staff noted a department‑head submission deadline of Jan. 31 for the city side and said they will fast‑track manager recommendations and build budget books earlier than in prior years.
Finance staff also reported ongoing work on the audit and reconciliations. Two of four reconciliation accounts are up to date, and staff said they were continuing work with the audit team to finish the audit as soon as possible. Separately, staff flagged a deadline for the state bond bank spring round on Feb. 5 and said the city would begin preparing materials this month.
Committee members expressed support for the accelerated schedule while urging staff to provide sufficient actuals from the prior year for budgeting decisions. No formal action or vote was taken; staff will return with budget materials and a timeline for committee and council consideration.
