BIDDEFORD — Jim Bennett, Biddeford’s city manager, will take on additional duties in January when he becomes a member of the Maine Municipal Association’s 12-member Executive Committee.

Founded in 1936, the association is a voluntary, non-partisan, member-service organization that is made up of 485 municipalities in Maine.

The MMA holds a core belief that local government is a fundamental component of a democratic system of government. Its services include advocacy, education and information, professional legal and personnel advisory services and self-funded group insurance programs.

Bennett is a lifelong resident of Maine and has enjoyed a long career in public service. He became the youngest selectman ever to serve at the age of 21 in his hometown of Lisbon. 

Besides serving as an elected town official in Lisbon, through the years Bennett also has managed numerous municipalities in the state, including Biddeford, Dixfield, New Gloucester, Old Orchard Beach, Sabattus, Westbrook, and Lewiston.

He was honored as the 2003 Manager of the Year by the Maine Town & City Management Association and received the 2006 Public Service Leadership Award from the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce. 

In addition to serving on the Maine Municipal Association, Bennett also is a member the Governor’s Municipal Advisory Board and several regional solid waste boards and strategic planning organizations. He is a past president of the Maine Town & City Management Association and currently serves as the president of the International City & County Management Association. 

He’s previously served as one of the International City & County Management Association’s 18 vice-presidents representing the Northeast region.

Recognized as a Credentialed Manager by ICMA and as a Certified Maine Manager by the Maine Town & City Management Association, Bennett earned an MBA from the University of Southern Maine and obtained undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of Southern Maine and Bentley College.

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 ext. 326 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com.