By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

CASCO — Spring brings the promise of new beginnings. 

For the Town of Casco, April will be the time that a new full-time town manager will step into the position that has been vacant for more than five months. 

Brenda Fox-Howard is the name of the future town manager. She begins on April 5.

“After completion of a nationwide search, the Casco [Board of Selectmen] is extremely pleased to announce Brenda Fox-Howard as their unanimous choice for Casco’s next town manager,” according to a press release from the Town of Casco.“The select board will be approving a three-year agreement with Fox-Howard at [its] meeting on Tuesday.” 

“Fox-Howard will start work on April 5 at a salary of $97,000,” the press release said.  

Currently, Fox-Howard is the town manager in New Gloucester — a job she began in May 2020.

According to the press release, Fox-Howard “previously worked as Director of Finance for Peterborough, N.H. She has Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Colorado Technical University.”

Also, she is living in Kennebunk, the release said. 

Fox-Howard was picked after the select board decided to advertise the job for a third time.

The most recent opportunity to apply for the Casco town manager position ended on Feb. 16. The Casco Select Board ended up with less than 20 candidates. 

“I believe it was 18 [resumes]. The board wanted to review them as we got them. They have reviewed a number of resumes,” Casco Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish said.

Instead of waiting until the job application deadline, the selectmen opted to review resumes as they came in. 

In fact, the selectmen have not only looked at resume packages as that paperwork was submitted, but also the selectmen interviewed a couple of the candidates in January and February, Gerrish said.

“They have interviewed a few during the time [that the job opening was posted]. They interviewed a few of the candidates they felt were qualified as the resumes were coming in,” Gerrish said. 

According to Gerrish, the board went into executive session to discuss the town manager hiring on Wednesday, Feb. 17, following a workshop on roads. 

Former Casco Town Manager Courtney O’Donnell resigned after about a year in the position. She announced her resignation in June. Her last day was Sept. 11, 2020.

Last summer, the Casco Select Board hired Municipal Consultant Gerrish, of Eaton Peabody, to be in charge of the hiring process. Also, in September, Gerrish took on the role of part-time interim town manager.