VAN BUREN, Maine — Van Buren Town Manager Luke Dyer was earlier this week awarded the Maine Town, City and County Management Association’s “Rising Star Award.” It is the second statewide award Dyer, who took over as town manager just three years ago, has received within a year.
The Rising Star Award, according to the MTCMA, is given to public administrators with less than five years in the field. It recognizes officials who have done good work in their community and is meant to encourage them to stay in the field.
Less than a year ago, Dyer also received the William F. King Jr. Downtown Champion Award from the Maine Development Foundation. The award was given during a Nov. 7 conference last year, and recognizes downtown revitalization efforts. It is the highest award given by the Maine Development Foundation for individual contributions.
Dyer was nominated by Aroostook County Administrator Ryan Pelletier, Fort Kent Town Manager Suzie Pelletier, Caribou Town Manager Penny Thompson and Van Buren Town Council Chair John Beaulieu.
Pelletier received the Rising Star Award in 2001 when he was town manager of St. Agatha, and Paradis received the award in 2023 while serving as Fort Kent town manager.
Pelletier said on Thursday that he and the other three nominees were not aware that they had all nominated Dyer for the award, adding that this is a testament to the recent work Dyer has done.
“I have been watching the transformation in Van Buren since Luke took office,” Pelletier said. “His passion and drive to make Van Buren a great place to live, work and play again has impressed me and our entire management profession.”
Paradis said she nominated Dyer because of his strong leadership and vision in revitalizing Van Buren’s downtown.
“His efforts have brought new energy and is strengthening community spirit,” Paradis said, “making a noticeable positive impact on his community and within the valley.”
Thompson said she has been following Luke’s career and knew months in advance that she wanted to nominate him for the award.
“Mr. Luke Dyer is the manager that every town wishes they had,” Thompson wrote in her nomination letter. “He has shown extraordinary leadership to bring renewed vitality and interest to Van Buren, a small border community in the St. John Valley of Aroostook County.”
Dyer said it was both a surprise and an honor to be nominated for the award.
“It was especially humbling to be nominated by four different people that I respect, unbeknownst to each other, for this recognition,” he said. “I am proud of all the hard work that we are doing in Van Buren and share this award with our Town Council, the Van Buren Revitalization Association and everyone else who has contributed to our success over the past three years.”
The town of Van Buren has taken part in numerous community revitalization efforts in the past three years. It received a Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design grant in 2023. This led to the town collaborating with Drexel University on an art project for the town’s historical pathway, and was the first of several collaborations between the town and universities.
Van Buren also opened a community garden in an underdeveloped space, which also includes an apiary for honey harvesting. More recently, the town opened a CONNECT space which will allow it to host meetings and classes for residents. The town will use this technology to collaborate with classes taught at the Rivertown Community Arts Center in Fort Kent.
“Giving out these awards is not only to recognize the great work that new managers are doing, but also to inspire others to always remember that at the core of what we do is to make our communities places that residents can be proud of,” Pelletier said. “Luke is doing that every day.”
