Camden Select Board moves to confirm Jody Hanson to perform town manager duties

The Camden Select Board moved to confirm the designation of Jody Hanson to perform the duties of the town manager, the board said during a regularly scheduled meeting.

The action followed written delegation from the town manager, Audra, and was taken under the town charter’s delegation provision. Bill, a staff member who read the charter language to the board, said the charter authorizes the manager "to designate a qualified administrative official of the municipality to perform the manager's duties during a temporary absence or disability, subject to confirmation by the select board." The board then considered confirmation of that designation.

Jody Hanson, who the board was asked to confirm, described relevant municipal experience, saying she "served as the town of Lincolnville's finance director for 20 years" and had previously acted as an interim town administrator when needed. "I am here to keep the rudder on the ship," she said, adding she does not expect to assume all of the manager's responsibilities permanently.

A committee member moved to confirm the designation and a second was recorded. The chair called for a vote and asked for any opposed; the transcript records no roll-call tally or formal count. The board proceeded to the next agenda item after the vote, and the transcript indicates the confirmation carried, while noting the specific vote tally is not specified in the record.

Why this matters: the confirmation authorizes a designated official to carry out manager duties while the town manager is unavailable, without changing the underlying appointment or employment status. The board and staff emphasized the distinction between a temporary delegation of duties and a permanent appointment.

The board moved on to an update on the police chief search later in the meeting.