Town manager search continues

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

GREENVILLE — With recently departed Town Manager John Simko’s last day being Friday, Sept. 2, Greenville officials are continuing with the search to find Simko’s successor. On Aug. 29 the board held a special meeting – the latest of a series of special sessions taking place over the last several months – to review applications for the position in an executive session.

In a letter to the community at the end of this tenure – published in the Aug. 31 edition of The Piscataquis Observer – Simko wrote that Code Enforcement Officer Jack Hart will serve as interim town manager, a capacity Hart has worked in previously.

Simko wrote, “Jack is a good man and will do a good job with these tasks, as he does with all of his work.” The former town manager continued, “I trust the board will find a solid professional to serve in this important role after the interim period. My advice to the next manager is this: take care of your roads, take care of your employees, listen to the townspeople, and always stand up for our town.”

Simko left his position to become a municipal loan officer and vice president with Androscoggin Bank. He and his family continue to live in Greenville.

In other business, the selectmen were scheduled to have a special meeting on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 6 to set the mill rate for the 2016-17 fiscal year. The board met with the assessor’s agent, town clerk and Simko on Aug. 31 at a workshop to discuss and review options for the 2017 property property tax commitment.

The 2015-16 mill rate is $16.20 per $1,000 of valuation, which was an increase of $1.50 from the previous year’s tax rate of $14.70 per $1,000.