“I’m not tickled to be leaving,” said Lincoln, whose last day was Jan. 31. “A job like the one I have in Poulsbo is not one that one leaves lightly.”

As a smaller, mainly residential community, Steilacoom won’t have either the resources — or the challenges — that Poulsbo had, said Lincoln, both of which he will miss. But he is looking forward to becoming a part of Steilacoom again, instead of a long-distance commuter.

“I want to be back in that community,” he said.

Although he’ll leave Poulsbo with many projects unfinished, Lincoln is satisfied with his accomplishments.

“I wasn’t able to address all the projects,” he said, “But there’s more things to do than one person could ever address.”

The four number one priorities that he set when he started have been completed or are in progress, he said. Those priorities were the city’s sewer system, water supply and availability, the stormwater comprehensive plan, and the city’s inadequate municipal facilities.

“The water and sewer system will never be done,” said Lincoln, “But they’re under control.” And the recent groundbreaking on the new municipal campus was a nice capstone on his work as public works director.

“In 22 months there’ll be a new city hall,” he said. “That’s kind of the icing on the cake.”

“[Jeff] has worked very hard for the city of Poulsbo for the last 18 months,” said Poulsbo Mayor Kathryn Quade. “I certainly understand his decision.”

Quade estimates that the process to find a replacement for Lincoln will take around 90 days. The Bainbridge Island headhunting firm, Waldron and Company will be assisting the city in its search. Waldron and Company was the same firm the city retained when it hired Lincoln, and because he only worked for Poulsbo for a year and half, the firm will be conducting the search for the new director at no additional charge to the city.