Ellis to be Calais city manager

The City of Calais has confirmed the appointment of two administrative positions. Longtime Calais resident Mike Ellis has been named as the new city manager, while Joyce Garland has expanded her role at the Calais Free Library to the directorship.
The city began its search for a new city manager when Jim Porter announced his upcoming retirement from the position in August. Ellis -- whose past business managerial experience is similar to that of Porter before he entered city administration two decades ago -- manages the St. Croix Country Club in Calais and is the office manager for Wreaths for Hope.
"I appreciate the trust that the council has put in me, and I plan on working hard each day to deserve that trust," Ellis says. He began working in the office on Monday, December 10, and will be shadowing Porter until he retires on December 21. Ellis says that he plans on emulating Porter's example of open communication and cooperation with the council and emphasizes that he is pleased with the direction the city is going.
At the Calais Free Library, Garland is transitioning from her previous role, held since December of 2013, as children's librarian. She has periodically acted as interim library director as needed and is familiar with the responsibilities of the position. Like Ellis, she expresses the importance she places on working with the multiple levels of administration within the library. "As director, I plan to work closely with the trustees and also with the city administration and council members," Garland says.
Outside of its administrative operations, the library will be presenting new features to the public soon as well. The upstairs section, now used as the children's area, is currently being renovated to include a bathroom. Moving forward, Garland says that she plans to increase the overall collection of the library by adding to fiction and nonfiction and to update the public‑use computers.