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Bedford hires town manager

The search is finally over. Last weekend, the Bedford Town Council announced that after months of sifting through candidates, it had found the next town manager, Jessie Levine, of Springfield.

“I look forward to meeting the residents of Bedford,” Levine said. “I’m not going to come with an agenda, but instead listen to how I can make Bedford better place to live.”

Levine is currently the assistant town manager of Hanover. She is a New Hampshire native and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and education.

She worked in Boston as a paralegal and litigation department administrator before leaving to manage a small startup law firm for three years. After eight years in Boston, she returned to New Hampshire in August 2000 to take the position of town administrator in New London. In May 2011, she became the assistant town manager and human resources director for Hanover.

“The council is very excited about Jessie Levine. We absolutely have found a town manager who is very able for the position,” said Bill Dermody, Town Council chairman.

According to Dermody, the former town manager, Russell Marcoux, was making roughly $125,000 a year. The town manager contract ranges from a three- to five-year term, which can be extended depending on performance.

Marcoux died in November 2011 after being hospitalized for bacterial meningitis. Later that year, the Town Council independently pursued the search for a new town manager, but at the last minute, a possible candidate backed out of the position. In March, the Town Council hired Municipal Resources Inc., a government employment agency, to come up with six qualifying candidates for the position.

In June, the Town Council discussed the possibility of amending the charter to adjust the town residency requirement from six to 18 months. Councilman Chris Bandazian said the six-month residency requirement was preventing qualified candidates from considering the position.

Bandazian also said there were several things that the next town manager needed to consider when moving to Bedford, such as carrying two mortgages, his or her spouse finding a job, and moving children to a new school.

“The residency requirement shouldn’t be a problem for me, because I do not have a family,” Levine said. “I do not have to face the same challenges that other people with a family have, so I’m anticipating an easier move. I think I have a little more flexibility.”

Levine listed the budget and property taxes as the biggest challenges she will have to tackle.

“I think that’s the No. 1 issue on any town manager’s mind in New Hampshire right now,” Levine said.

Levine also said she feels qualified to handle those challenges because of her knowledge with New Hampshire state law, connections with officials throughout New Hampshire and her ability to collaborate well with others.

“The second primary challenge is economic development,” Levine said. “We need to grow the tax base while still keeping Bedford a great place to work and live.”

According to Levine, her last day in Hanover will be Aug. 31. She will start as Bedford’s town manager Sept. 4.

“I’m excited, thrilled and honored,” Levine said.

Katelyn Dobbs can be reached at 594-6549 or kdobbs@nashuatelegraph.com.