City Clerk Angela Holmes presents updates to the code of ordinances at the City Council meeting Monday. Holmes will take on the assistant city administrator role following Stephen Fields’ departure Jan. 4. Screenshot / WCTV

WESTBROOK — The city clerk will be taking up the assistant city administrator role, following the resignation of Stephen Fields.

Fields also serves as head of human resources for the city, but will be resigning Jan. 4 to work as the town manager for Corinth. In his place, Angela Holmes will take on the assistant administrator role on top of her role as city clerk while the city looks to fill the HR role separately.

“During his two years of service to the city, Stephen has done an outstanding job organizing our HR Department and handling all responsibilities with great detail and efficiency,” Mayor Mike Foley said. “We have been blessed with his dedicated service to our community and he will be greatly missed. On behalf of the City of Westbrook, I wish to express our sincere and heartfelt appreciation for everything Stephen has given to our community. We wish him success, health and happiness in his new role.”

Holmes was appointed clerk in 2014 and previously served as the deputy clerk and city clerk of Binghamton, New York, for seven years. Holmes is currently wrapping up her master’s degree in planning, policy and management at the University of Southern Maine.

“I am really looking forward to this opportunity,” Holmes said. “It’s a great learning environment, we have department heads at the top of their game and this a great place to learn more about municipal operations as a whole. Administrator Jerre Bryant, he’s great to work with and learn from, so this works out really well. Yesterday I finished my very last class session for my master’s, so I am really excited about that.”

With her new role, Holmes will work more directly with each department in terms of staffing and finances oversight. She will have more of a hand in policy forming while maintaining her work in the clerk’s office.

Foley said while it is more work, Holmes will be able to handle the transition.

“She has been supporting Jerre and I in a higher leadership role as part of her career development,” Foley said. “As we transition and get someone solidified in the HR role, we will work on department structure and reporting for the future. Angela does an outstanding job and, depending on the time of the year, demands for clerk-related responsibilities such as elections might require more of her time. Otherwise, we have strengthened the clerk’s office with other staff.”

The new position will bring about a $10,000 salary increase, but overall will present savings for the city, as a sole HR employee would cost less than hiring a new employee to fill both roles, according to Foley.