Eastport council fires city manager

The Eastport City Council voted to terminate the contract of City Manager Thomas Hoskins and end his employment with the city during a special city council meeting on January 27. The 4-1 vote, with Councillor Peter Small opposed, occurred following an executive session on a personnel matter. Hoskins had been hired one year ago by the council and was the city's fifth city manager in 10 years.
The council considered a series of motions before the vote to terminate the contract was approved. Initially Councillor Small moved to retain Hoskins for another year but with more supervision, but that motion failed to garner a second. Two other motions were made before Councillor Ross Lawrence made the motion that was approved. While Hoskins was given a week to finish out as city manager, he turned in his keys later that evening.
Hoskins was still under a one-year probationary period that was outlined in his three-year contract. Under the contract the city had the right to terminate his employment at any time without cause during the probationary period. After the one-year probation the city would have had to pay a severance package of two months' salary and benefits.
Council President William Boone says that the general feeling of most councillors was "this was just not a good fit for the city." He adds, "He wasn't the best person for the city at this point in time. I have a different idea for the direction of the city than he had."
Among the issues that had concerned councillors was Hoskins' firing of Police Chief Peter Harris in September. The council ended up voting to reinstate Harris following an appeal hearing in January, but Harris decided not to return. The city had set a deadline of February 5 for applications for a new police chief but had not received any as of February 3.
Former Calais City Manager Jim Porter is now filling in to help the city as needed until a new manager is hired. Porter, who is being paid an hourly rate, also had helped the city as a consultant last year during the period after Ross Argir had resigned as city manager and before Hoskins was hired. Boone says the city will be advertising for a city manager, and he hopes that perhaps some members of the community may help with reviewing the applications. "I hope we can figure out what type of person we want."
In addition to being without a city manager, city hall has been closed recently because of potential staff exposure to COVID-19 and is scheduled to reopen to the public on Tuesday, February 16.
"There's some turmoil at the time, but we'll get past it," says Boone. "Hopefully we'll be onward and upward."