WESTBROOK – The Westbrook School Department has turned to an experienced hand to replace Jeremy Ray, the former operations manager who recently left the district to become the superintendent of schools in Biddeford.

At a meeting on Wednesday, July 12, held after the American Journal’s deadline, the Westbrook School Committee was scheduled to vote on the nomination of Dean Flanagin, most recently the business manager for the Lewiston School Department, to fill Ray’s position.

Flanagin, a resident of Raymond, was on vacation this week and not available for comment. But Westbrook Superintendent Marc Gousse said that Flanagin, who has been in Lewiston since 1997, brings a wealth of experience to the district, which will help in his new role as the operations manager overseeing all of the business affairs of the Westbrook School Department.

“He’s been a very successful business manager in Lewiston,” Gousse said. “All around, everyone that I spoke to spoke very highly of him.”

Gousse said that Flanagin was leaving Lewiston after a restructuring led to the elimination of the business manager position in favor of a chief financial officer.

Gousse, who hopes to have Flanagin start immediately after the School Committee approves him, said he expects the new operations manager to get up to speed quickly as the new school year rapidly approaches.

“He has experience with tracking and managing grants,” Gousse said. “He has managed new school construction and renovation projects. We’re very fortunate (to have someone with so much experience).”

Flanagin will have some help with his transition. Even though Ray has already begun working in Biddeford, Gousse said that he is still helping close out some things in Westbrook and would be available to help Flanagin settle into his new job.

Gousse said that Flanagin was one of four candidates interviewed for the position and he was one of the two finalists selected for a second round of interviews. He said that there was no debate on who was the top candidate for the job.

“Dean was the unanimous recommendation,” Gousse said. “I think we’ve got an outstanding candidate.”

The new operations manager is not the only administrative post that Gousse is looking to fill quickly. He said he is hoping to have a nominee to replace Todd Sampson as the Westbrook High School athletics and activities director.

The position is on the School Committee’s agenda for the July 12 meeting, and Gousse said he was interviewing candidates on Monday with the intent to have a name for the committee in time for the meeting.