CONWAY — The town of Conway’s longtime recreation director, John Eastman, will succeed Town Manager Tom Holmes, who plans to retire next July after serving in the position for four years, the town announced Wednesday.
The town manager is the chief administrative officer of the town.
According to the town charter, the town manager is appointed by selectmen and serves at their pleasure.
Holmes replaced former longtime Town Manager Earl Sires in May of 2017 when Sires retired after 17 years.
Before becoming town manager, Holmes had served as town assessor for 22 years.
Holmes sent the Sun a statement from the selectmen on Wednesday.
“Town Manager Thomas Holmes has conveyed to the Board of Selectmen that he will retire at the end of his current term (July 31, 2022),” it said. “After careful deliberation, over several weeks, Mr. (David) Weathers moved, seconded by Mr. (Carl) Thibodeau, to announce with great pleasure that Mr. John R. Eastman will be the next town manager.”
Holmes told the Sun he has a three-year contract that ends next year and when that contract expires, he will be nearly 67.
“My decision to retire is mostly COVID-related,” said Holmes, of Center Conway. “Being a manager in the era of COVID is exhausting. I’m sure most business managers in town will agree. I also had COVID, and it started me thinking that I need to stop and smell the roses, which, in my case, translates into cooking, gardening, fly fishing and puttering around the house.”
Reached by phone Wednesday, Eastman, of Albany said he has worked for the town for 31 years and has been recreation director for 28 years.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” said Eastman, 57.
Eastman said the job was advertised internally and he replied with interest.
Eastman is a homegrown talent, being born and raised in Conway, graduating from Kennett High in 1982 and going on to attend the University of Southern Maine.
Eastman said he plans to be working closely with Holmes during the transition as well as attending selectmen’s and municipal budget committee meetings.
“I will be well trained up and ready to go by the time Aug. 1 rolls around,” said Eastman.
Eastman noted that he can’t leave Conway Recreation stranded. So, he will be training Assistant Recreation Director Mike Lane to help Lane step up and fill his shoes.
“Not only do I have to learn a position, I have to teach a position,” said Eastman. “Mike is ready to lead; there is no question. But his job as the assistant is a lot different than what I do as the director.”
Weathers, reached by phone Wednesday, said he expected the documents to be signed later in the afternoon making the transition official. Weathers praised the way Eastman has guided the recreation department through the pandemic over the past two years while many recreation departments in New Hampshire were closed down.
“Hats off to him and his crew,” said Weathers, who also complimented Eastman’s leadership at the helm of the recreation department generally.
“He’s done a really good job,” said Weathers.
Holmes, in an email, said the recreation department and the town government as a whole handled COVID-19 well. He said the town avoided mass illness among staff and maintained services to the public while lowering taxes and remaining fiscally stable.
“The recreation department retooled and adapted and boosted the morale of the community’s shut-in children,” said Holmes. “Once the shutdown ended, we facilitated seasonal outdoor dining to do our part to reignite the local economy.
“It’s not over, and we are currently dealing with what appears to be a COVID resurgence and a flight to more rural areas from the cities. We need to adapt to whatever new circumstances arise.”
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