Former Barnstable, MA, Town Manager John Klimm has been hired as Portsmouth's new town administrator, announced the Portsmouth Town Council in a press release Wednesday. 

Rumors circulated around town Tuesday that the new administrator hailed from Barnstable. On Saturday, the Cape Cod Times reported Klimm was in the final negotiations for a new job. 

Klimm will begin work as town administrator on Feb. 13. 

A Massachusetts native, Klimm served as the town manager of Barnstable MA, for the past 12 years before being asked to take an early departure by the Barnstable Town Council this past June. 

Klimm, who holds a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Boston College and a master’s degree in public administration from Bridgewater State University, has experience in public management and administration, according to the press release.

Under his management and leadership, Barnstable has achieved a AAA bond rating and was awarded both the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and the prestigious Excellence in Financial Reporting Award from the Government Finance Officers Association.

During his tenure, Barnstable also received the E.P.A. Smart Growth Award for the Hyannis Downtown revitalization effort and the Nation Civic League All American City Award. 

Prior to taking the position of Town Manager in Barnstable, Klimm was an elected state legislator for eight years, served as a selectman in Barnstable and as the southeast regional director for the Massachusetts Housing Partnership.

Klimm is an adjunct professor at Suffolk University-Sawyer School of Management, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in labor relations, state government management, managing public organizations and administration of local government.

He is also an active member of the International City & County Management Association, the Government Finance Officers Association and serves as the representative of local government on the Board of Directors for the National Civic League. 

The press release from the town quotes former Barnstable Town Council President Gary Blazis as stating, “John Klimm has strong practical experience in community development and management; he has developed and maintained strong intergovernmental relations at the county, state and federal levels and has managed the financial affairs of the community with exceptional skill. John has helped us achieve a level of financial health that is the envy of the entire state.

"Portsmouth is truly lucky to be getting him." 

The selection of Klimm followed an extensive recruitment and selection process that was managed for the town by Municipal Resources Inc., a New Hampshire-based municipal consulting company.

According to Alan Gould, who managed the recruitment project for the consultant, Klimm emerged as the top candidate from an exceptional pool of more than 65 applicants from 22 states and Canada.

Selection focused on experiences, education and training, responses to essay questions, telephone interviews followed by face to face interviews with a group of Portsmouth citizens and a team of public managers. 

“I really look forward to the opportunities and challenges of the future, working closely with the Town Council, municipal employees and the citizen and taxpayers of this beautiful community," said Klimm in the press release.