Pickeball courts named to honor Dunn, outgoing Gilford town administrator

GILFORD — It is officially the end of an era at Town Hall, as longtime Town Administrator Scott Dunn led his final selectboard meeting last week, before he sailed off into the sunset.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege for me to serve as the Gilford town administrator for these past years,” Dunn said Wednesday. “I’m eternally grateful to you folks for the support you’ve shown to me. I will definitely miss you all, as well, and it’s been a good ride.”

Dunn was praised by many. At the beginning of the meeting, Clerk Richard Grenier called upon Dunn to receive a gift: a keychain with his name engraved on the back, with the coordinates of Town Hall.

“So, wherever the ship of life takes you, you’ll be able to find your way home,” he said, followed by a round of applause.

Dunn spent the last 10 days of his position getting his successor, former police chief Kristian Kelley, ready to take on the duties he took care of the last 18 years. Kelley received a plaque for his time with Gilford Police.

Friday was Dunn’s last day of work, but he said he won’t be a stranger, and expects to be back for the grand opening of the new public works department, as well as other projects he helped facilitate.

Dunn helped bring the new pickleball courts to town, and last week they were named in his honor as the Scott J. Dunn Pickleball Courts. He worked to secure funds for the rink upgrades, and the creation of the courts, through a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. They have been extremely popular since opening in July, and turned the Arthur A. Tilton Ice Rink, where they are located, into a free, year-round facility available for public use.

Throughout Wednesday’s meeting, with Kelley at Dunn’s left as assistant town administrator, selectboard members continuously made jokes about the changing of the guard. It was clear they were going to miss someone who helped make Town Hall run smoothly for so long.

The Thursday before, elected leaders, employees and supporters gathered at Town Hall to celebrate Dunn. While Grenier and Vice Chair Gus Benavides said plenty was said then — and it was all true — they each publicly commended Dunn Aug. 12.

“I know he doesn’t like to receive these accolades, but I want to publicly thank him, one more time, for the countless selectmen meetings he has attended,” Benavides said. “He’s outshined us for attendance records for selectmen meetings, so, thank you Scott, for that. The work that he has put into making these selectboard meetings run smoothly is tremendous.”

Benavides has been a selectboard member for about 22 years, and has gotten to know Dunn. Benavides said selectboard meetings were very long, before Dunn’s arrival. Due to his preparation, they are often concise and efficient. He said Dunn helped fine-tune meetings, preparing the selectboard by providing the necessary information to make educated decisions.

“That’s the work that the residents don’t see: the countless hours that he spends at making these meetings go smoothly,” Benavides said.

Lockes Island resident Rick Dean thanked Dunn. He got to know Dunn through residential and island association issues that came up over the years, and said he was a great help bringing internet to the islands.

“I am so happy that I got to know you living here in Gilford, over a number of years,” Dean said.

Selectboard members often joke about how quickly they can breeze through a meeting, and get so much done. Benavides said he was used to having meetings three hours or longer, but with Dunn’s leadership, that is chopped to a fraction, and they actually cover much more. He said this was largely due to Dunn’s dedication and hard work.

“Gilford is far, far, above our neighboring cities and towns, because in large part due to Scott Dunn, so, thank you Scott,” Benavides said.

“On a personal note, I’m going to miss my friend,” Benavides said. “I’m going to miss having a resource like Scott, with 30 years of municipal experience in the various towns, cities, and states that he’s been a town administrator. I just want to publicly thank him for being a good person, a good human, a good town administrator, a good leader, and a good mentor for so many folks.”

Chair Chan Eddy has been a selectboard member for 12 years, and said Dunn has made his job much easier by being a source of knowledge who could explain complex matters. He joked if he made a mistake, he’d only make it three or four times — instead of seven or eight — thanks to Dunn.

“It has definitely been a pleasure working with you, and I’m going to miss you, and please don’t be too much of a stranger,” Eddy said. “A phone call now and then will be sufficient. Again, this being your last meeting, I want to thank you, my friend. You’ve helped me, and the others, so much in making sure this town has become what it has become, and made our jobs so much easier.”

Grenier said Dunn was the type of guy who stays in the background rather than the limelight.

“You made us look good, and never took credit for it, and when things didn’t go well, you stepped up front and protected us, so that we didn’t take it,” Grenier said. “It was rare, because you always made us look good, but I appreciated it. I’m going to miss you.”

Dunn said he always tried to make them look good, but it was pretty easy, because they put in the time and effort it takes to properly lead.

“I will miss you all, it’s truly been an honor for me,” Dunn said.