AUBURN — Denis D’Auteuil was appointed assistant city manager Monday, a move that brings D’Auteuil back to Auburn Hall several years after he served as assistant city manager and acting city manager in 2016.

D’Auteuil, who has been serving as director of Auburn Public Services for several years, replaces Brian Wood, who left March 7.

In a statement Tuesday, City Manager Phil Crowell said D’Auteuil’s “depth of knowledge, connection to our team, dedication to public service, and long history of involvement with the cities of Auburn and Lewiston make him exactly the right fit for this position.”

A Lewiston native and graduate of St. Dominic Academy, D’Auteuil has more than 14 years of experience in municipal government.

“This really is like coming home for me,” D’Auteuil said Tuesday. “My roots are firmly planted in this community; I began my career in public service here and I care deeply about Auburn and the people who live here. My wife and I are proud to be raising our two daughters in this community, and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to help build on the excitement, positive growth and great momentum here in Auburn.”

D’Auteuil was first hired in Auburn in 2010 and has served in multiple roles, including Public Works director, assistant city manager, and director of public services. He served for a year and a half as assistant city manager and was named acting city manager in September 2016, following the departure of Howard Kroll.

D’Auteuil was then hired as Lewiston’s deputy city administrator in 2017. After longtime Lewiston City Administrator Ed Barrett retired in 2020, D’Auteuil was named his successor. However, he left the position in July of 2021 after serving less than a year as city administrator.

Crowell said D’Auteuil’s experience in Lewiston “helped strengthen the relationship between our two cities.”

“His leadership roles on both sides of the river, and his ability to foster collaborative relationships will help make this a seamless transition,” he said.

Reached on Tuesday, Mayor Jeff Harmon said, “I look forward to working with Mr. D’Auteuil as our new assistant city manager. He has done an outstanding job as our public services director. He brings a wealth of municipal government management experience from the Auburn-Lewiston area to his new role.”

Brian Wood, who was hired as assistant city manager in 2020, came from the office of the city administrator in Washington, D.C.