Maine critics pounce on $215,000 city manager

By Ted Cohen

"Biddeford, Maine, wants to pay a city manager $215,000 a year to run a city of 22,300 people. That's only $35,000 less than the mayor of Boston makes running a city of 675,000. Let that sink in."

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Those are the words of Biddeford taxpayer SF O'Leary analyzing the generous pay package of Laurie Smith, who was just hired as Biddeford's chief executive officer.

"The jokes write themselves," O'Leary said. "But once again the taxpayers, have to bend over."

In addition to her salary, Smith's three-year contract provides her with 24 paid vacation days, health insurance, life insurance valued at twice her base salary and a $600-per-month vehicle allowance.

Smith's salary compares handsomely to her predecessor's, which was $200,000, and reflect a $62,000 raise from her current $153,000 as Kennebunkport town manager.

The new manager is also dodging a city charter requirement that whoever holds the position has to live in Biddeford.

She took the job on the condition councilors ignore the residency requirement and allow her to live in nearby Kennebunk.

The news of Smith's hiring came first from a Kennebunkport news outlet that unapologetically scooped two competing Biddeford bloggers.