"Eben has been an outstanding public servant," Piscataquis County Probate Judge Douglas Smith said Tuesday.

DeWitt, who is known for his dry humor, said in an interview last week that he never regretted the experiences he had or the friendships he made while serving his latter years as county commissioner.

"It's been a good experience, especially with the people that I've worked with," DeWitt said. He had high praise for his fellow commissioners and county employees, and especially noted the help that former County Clerk Carolyn Doore had provided over the years before her retirement earlier this year.

Reflecting on a public career that has had its highs and lows, DeWitt said it was "all I expected and a little more."

"It's been a real ride for the last 20 years, and if I remember anything, it's the people I worked with," he said.

DeWitt served as an educator and principal in SAD 68 for 14 years before he was hired as superintendent, a job he held for 12 years. It was during his last six months as superintendent that the late Philip Annis of Dover-Foxcroft suggested that he run for county commissioner.

"I did, and I found it was not unlike superintendent's work - it involved budgeting and union work," he said. The staunch Republican ran unopposed for five terms.

Monumental projects were undertaken during DeWitt's tenure. These included the construction of a new jail and the closure of landfills in unorganized townships that were replaced with transfer stations. In addition, the majority of employees of the Piscataquis County Sheriff's Department and the jail organized a union, and the county purchased property in Dover-Foxcroft in anticipation of construction of a new courthouse while DeWitt served the county.

DeWitt, a big supporter of the Penquis Higher Education Center and economic development, said his only regret is that he will not be aboard when a new courthouse is constructed.

"There's no question there's a need for a large District Court," he said. He also said the county must continue to address the "Cadillac" health insurance plan offered to employees. All businesses and governments must do some belt tightening to rein in health insurance costs, he said.

"It was an interesting job and I liked it very much," DeWitt said of his county role. He said he planned to play more golf in his retirement and spend more time at his Schoodic Lake camp.

"I may even go back to fishing if I have enough patience to sit in a boat for couple of hours," he quipped
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Wednesday, December 29, 2004 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."