Daniel Swain, who served for nearly two years as the town administrator in Dresden, has been hired as the town manager in Clinton.

Daniel Swain, the new town manager in Clinton. Photo courtesy of Daniel Swain

A Skowhegan resident, Swain, 36, said he hopes to establish a healthy relationship with the town’s residents when he begins the job, which comes with an annual salary of $67,600.

Swain is expected to be officially appointed as town manager when the Clinton Board of Selectpersons meets Tuesday.

“We’re all here to serve the public, as long as we’re doing everything we can to serve people and do good by them,” Swain said in an interview.

As Clinton’s town manager, Swain said he looks forward to working on ongoing projects and getting up to speed on all of his administrative duties. His predecessor, John Bellino, is helping Swain transition quickly into his new role.

“I want to learn everything about the town and its operations before I start to make suggestions about what to change,” Swain said.

Swain served as the town administrator in Dresden for more than 10 years. At the same time, he worked part time in Clinton in the finance department.

Earlier last year, Bellino announced his departure after serving as the town manager for a little more than a year. He said his 90-mile commute was the tipping point for him.

Clinton has seen frequent turnover in the town manager’s office, with many managers resigning after a year or two. Prior to Bellino, former manager Earla Haggerty served for four years before retiring. In the years before that, the town had eight town managers in 11 years.

Swain “will be a good fit for the community,” Bellino wrote in an email.

Swain said it came naturally for him to apply for the position after Bellino announced he would leaving. Swain said he will continue to live in Skowhegan and commute to Clinton.

Swain holds a bachelor’s degree in history and public administration from the University of Maine at Machias and is working toward a master’s degree in public policy.

“‘I’m a pretty open person and I would never say no to what a citizen wants,” Swain said. “My doors are always open to the public.”

Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correct the number of years Swain served as town administrator for Dresden.