CAMDEN — Camden Town Manager Pat Finnigan announced Friday that Karen Brace of Hope has been selected as the town’s community development director.

"Karen brings a breadth of experience, an understanding of the issues facing Camden, and a deep commitment to our community," Finnigan said Friday evening. "She has immersed herself in the community and has been an integral part of many community initiatives, which makes her the ideal person for this position.”

Brace currently is the membership development director at the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she has worked for the past five years.

Camden’s development director position has remained vacant since August 2014, when former director Brian Hodges submitted his resignation. Hodges had served as Camden’s first development director, a position created in 2011.

The development director position has since been a contentious one, with members of the community, the select board and the budget committee questioning the need and the expense and others promoting it as a way to keep Camden moving forward. When Hodges was hired in August 2011, he was paid $62,858. At the June 2015 Town Meeting, town resident and budget committee member Steve Melchiskey made a motion to amend the General Government budget to remove $70,879 from the budget line, which was the amount of salary slated for the future community development director. He said the budget committee had a lot of discussion about that one expense, which ultimately passed as a recommended item by a vote of 13 to 7. After public comment from both the floor and the Select Board at the June 10 Town Meeting, Melchiskey’s amendment failed by a show of hands, and the original budget line, as recommended by the Select Board, carried.

Finnigan said Friday night that the community development director will play a key role in Camden's future.

"Visionary people came before us and worked diligently to build our local economy and bring prosperity to our community. We have benefited from their efforts. It is now up to us to work together to continue that work to ensure Camden is a thriving, multi-generational, year- round community that offers economic opportunities for the residents, " she said.

Due to the nature of this position, Finnigan said she spoke with many people about the qualities the new community development director should have. She said she was pleased that by selecting Brace, the town was able to find someone with the qualities and experience that people said were needed.

Brace was selected from a pool of 25 applicants, mostly from Maine and New England. Finnigan said she was pleased with the overall quality of the applicants, and was especially impressed with the caliber of the finalists.

Helping the town manager in the selection process was an interview team comprised of Oscar Verest, former chairman of the Camden Downtown Business Group, Robin McIntosh, chairperson of the Community and Economic Development Committee, Deborah Dodge, co-chairman of the Downtown Network Board, Peter Gross, former CEDAC chairman and Select Board member Don White.

"This is an exciting time for Camden. The projects that town committees are currently working on will enhance our quality of life and strengthen our year-round economy,” said Brace. “We particularly want to focus on making Camden welcoming to young people who stay for Camden's sense of place and strong, authentic community. Combined with our culture, top-notch education, our vibrant festivals and recreational assets — you just don't find this incredible combination in many places. This is why I came back in my 20s and never left; I have a passion for Camden and I look forward to working on behalf of our citizens and business people. I'm very grateful for this opportunity."

Finnigan said the community development director is the town's liaison to businesses, neighborhoods, and community organizations.

"The people of Camden and the business community are the reasons for Camden's vitality. The role of town government is to support their efforts and connect people to resources to help them thrive," Finnigan said. "Karen has a record of building partnerships and working with individuals and groups to help them succeed."

Brace's prior experience includes development director at the Community School, work at the Island Institute as the major gifts and annual fund manager, communications director of the production company of the PBS series Anyplace Wild, and she was the founding executive director of the Ski Maine Association.

Brace is a graduate of Dartmouth College and lives in Hope with her husband, attorney Christopher Hardy. She has a daughter, Erika, a student in the Harvard University's Higher Education Administration Master's Degree program. She has been involved in many civic and community organizations, has been a member of Camden Rotary since 1988 and was its first permanent female member. She is a former board member of Coastal Affordable Housing, and served on the boards of Maine School Administrative District 28 and Five Towns Community School District 19, and Children's House Montessori School. She currently is president of the Maine Women's Network board.

Brace said, "I have a passion for Camden and I look forward to working on behalf of our citizens and business people."

Related stories:

• Camden voters pass $7.1 million budget; Lookner, French sworn in

• Camden's development director moves on to private sector

Reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com and 706-6655.