MECHANIC FALLS — The Town Council announced Monday that it hired Koriene Low as town manager, replacing John Hawley who is resigning effective Oct. 30 to become director of operations for Regional School Unit 16.

Low, of Minot, is director of transportation with Community Concepts in South Paris. She has been with the social services agency for 29 years, holding various positions with exposure at the local, state and federal levels.

She has a bachelor’s degree in business management and a strong background in assessing community needs and in seeking funding to bridge gaps.

For the next two weeks, Low will spend some time working with Hawley and start full time Monday, Oct 19. Hawley will work half-days through Oct. 30 to assist with the transition.

Low said she is looking forward to assisting Mechanic Falls in its future growth.

“I’m excited to to start this journey with the town in a positive and productive manner that will benefit all of Mechanic Falls’ citizens in the years ahead,” she said.

The council also passed two new ordinances following brief public hearings. One concerns mass gatherings and the other would prohibit jumping from bridges in town.

Hawley said the ordinance to prohibit jumping from bridges was intended to be a public safety measure. The said children running in and out of traffic near the Route 11 bridge concerns motorists and others.

The hearing on the ordinance, drafted by Police Chief Jeff Goss, drew no comment from the public.

The need for a better mass gathering ordinance, Hawley said, became evident this past summer when town officials discovered that the existing ordinance didn’t apply to a couple of events planned at Harvest Hill Farms on Route 26.

The proposed ordinance, developed with input from Harvest Hill Farms, was subject to lengthy Planning Board review and reviewed by Jack Conway, town attorney.

The ordinance distinguishes between major and minor mass gatherings. Any gatherings larger than 3,000 attendees would be subject to Planning Board review and limited to one per month.

Minor mass gatherings are those with between 500 and 3,000 attendees. They would be subject to review by the code enforcement officer, who would be authorized to issue a conditional use permit.

In other business, the council awarded the bid to replace the Police Department’s pickup with a 2016 Ford Avenger to Quirk Ford of Augusta. The bid price is $17,842 with a $10,000 trade-in.

The council also authorized Hawley to sell, by bid, the Fire Department’s old Engine 3. The minimum bid is $6,500.

Hawley reported that the Marshall Gibson Municipal Charitable Grant program awarded Mechanic Falls a $10,000 grant that will be used to draw a $5,000 match and provide playground equipment for the recreation fields behind the Municipal Building.

Hawley also reported that the new culvert on Lane Road performed admirably during the 5-inch rainfall Sept. 30.

“It looked like Class A rapids going through,” Hawley said. “If that culvert hadn’t been in, the road would have been gone and we would be asking for major help.”