Jerre Bryant, Westbrook’s city administrator, plans to resign and take on a temporary part-time role early next year, the city announced Tuesday.

Bryant will transition from the administrator post to the interim director of economic and community development beginning in January. He’ll work in that position until May 22, when he expects to retire.

While in his new role, Bryant will provide guidance and support for the coming staffing transitions in the economic development and mayor’s office. Bryant has been Westbrook’s city administrator for more than 23 years, working with six mayors and dozens of city councilors.

“I have learned valuable lessons from every one of them,” he wrote in a press release. “I have done my very best to bring my knowledge, experience, compassion, creativity, patience and humility to serve this wonderful community to the highest possible level.

“My primary goal has been to leave the city of Westbrook in a better place than when I arrived,” he added.

Mayor David Morse said that the city decided to share the succession plan so far in advance in an effort to “maintain stability in local government in the midst of a major transition.”

Morse said he intends to appoint Angela Holmes, the current assistant city administrator, to fill Bryant’s city administrator position. Holmes, with a master’s degree in policy, planning and public management from the University of Southern Maine, has worked with the city since 2014, first as a clerk. She worked up the ranks, assuming the full-time position of assistant city administrator in 2024.

“Angela also has an abundant familiarity and understanding of the Westbrook community, its history, characteristics, form of government, leadership, needs, and opportunities,” Morse said. “Her opportunity to work closely with a seasoned municipal manager has provided her with a comprehensive overview of the art of administering a municipality.”

A request for council confirmation will be brought forth in October.

Morse also identified that Monique Cornett, the deputy director of Economic & Community Development, is the best candidate to take over from Bryant in May.

“She works very well with elected leadership, municipal staff and colleagues and is very quicky learning the details and nuances of municipal development,” Morse said. “We have already commenced an accelerated mentoring process to fully prepare her for the director position.”

At Monday’s council meeting, Morse thanked Bryant for his participation in this succession plan that will “allow us to make use of his institutional knowledge, expertise, and mentorship to position our city for a successful and stable future.”

“We’ll still have Jerre with us in some capacity through May 2026, and there are going
to be several opportunities in the future to recognize him and the impact he’s had in Maine
municipal government,” Morse added.