OXFORD — Following an unexpected five-minute executive session at the beginning of Thursday night’s selectmen meeting, the board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Town Manager Derik Goodine, effective immediately.

Goodine, who held the position a little more than five months, and board Chairman Scott Owens declined to comment on the action.

Owens, Roger Jackson, Floyd Thayer and Scott Hunter voted for the motion. Selectman Peter Laverdiere was absent.

The board appointed Rebecca Lippincott as interim town manager, road commissioner, General Assistance director, treasurer and public access officer. She serves as finance clerk, deputy treasurer and assistant tax collector.

Although Goodine’s contract required him to give a 60-day notice before leaving, the board had the option to accept his resignation immediately. Goodine waived his right to 60 days of pay, which would have ended Jan. 17, 2017, in exchange for all salary due him and payment for accumulated vacation time as of Nov. 17.

In his resignation letter to the board dated Nov. 17, Goodine thanked residents and wished the town success.

“I want to thank the townspeople for welcoming me into the community with open arms and I wish the town a lot of success in the future as the town continues to grow and the new sewer treatment plant gets up and running and changes the dynamics of the business makeup in the community. I believe very much in the future of Oxford, and I have appreciated working with all my employees in the community who are very dedicated to the success of Oxford.

“I want to thank the selectmen for allowing me the opportunity to oversee the completion of the (wastewater treatment plant), much of the sewer line work, the organization of the paperwork and procedures for future sewer billing and sewer connection as well as the other accomplishments that we have made together,” he wrote.

The news appeared to stun some in the audience and prompted one resident to say, “I’m sorry to see our town manager leave. I thought he was doing a good job.”

It is unclear at this time how the board will proceed with filling the top post on a permanent basis.

Goodine, a former town manager for Naples and Bucksport, was selected as Oxford manager in late May after a six-month hiring process. The Brewer native was one of about 20 applicants and began his duties June 1.

The job required five years of full-time management experience, a degree in business or public administration, or the equivalent in relevant experience.

Goodine received his Bachelor of Arts degree in public management from the University of Maine in the early 1990s.

This is not the first time Goodine has left a town manager position for unclear reasons.

In August 2015, the Bucksport Town Council voted 4-2 to terminate Goodine as town manager, prompting one councilor to resign, according to a report by the Bangor Daily News at the time. Councilors invoked a clause in Goodine’s three-year contract that allowed them to fire him without citing a reason, the report said.

Goodine was hired as Bucksport’s town manager in April 2014 and saw the town through the closure of the Verso Corp. paper mill and the loss of more than 500 jobs.

In Oxford, Goodine succeeded Michael Chammings, who left in January to become Auburn’s economic and community development director.

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