Baldwin City Administrator Larry Paine announced Thursday he would leave his post Feb. 21 to take a position in Concordia.

Paine came to Baldwin almost five years ago from Cave Creek, Ariz., where he worked in the same role.

Paine also has worked for cities in California and Idaho.

“Baldwin is a good community, it’s treated me very well,” Paine said.

Paine made his news public during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting Thursday morning.

Paine called his departure “bittersweet.”

When Paine came to Baldwin, his time was consumed with improvements in the city’s infrastructure, such as water and electrical.

“Baldwin had big fixes,” Paine said.

He said he did not expect those types of challenges in his new job.

“In Concordia it’s working and it’s working very well,” Paine said.

Paine said he hoped to devote his time in Concordia to attracting new businesses to helping broaden the city’s tax base.

Concordia is about 50 miles north of Salina.

Baldwin City Councilman Todd Cohen said a city the size of Concordia was the next logical step for Paine.

“I knew he was moving on to another step in his career,” Cohen said. “He’s moving up from a small town to a little bit bigger town.”

Concordia is a Class II city with a population of about 5,000. Baldwin has about 3,500 residents.

Paine is expected to begin his new job Feb. 24.

Baldwin Mayor Ken Hayes said he had been aware Paine was looking around but he had not expected the news Thursday.

“It came as somewhat of a surprise; it was unusual news,” Hayes said.

Hayes praised Paine’s contributions to the city.