There are some changes coming in the Southington Planning Department, but what they are remains to be seen.
Southington Town Planner Mary Savage-Dunham last week submitted her resignation, choosing to take a position and job in the Planning Department with a Massachusetts community. Southington Town Manager Garry Brumback said Zoning Enforcement Officer Robert Librandi would take over responsibilities in the interim and the position of town planner will be completely reviewed.
“The next step is to look at the planning organization as a whole. There may be room for consolidation and we need to look at the best way to maximize efficiency,” Brumback said. “We will certainly be rewriting the job description.”
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Brumback said the position would not be cut and the town would eventually rehire. He also said the town is in a strong position thanks to the notice they received. Savage-Dunham will remain in place and active through early December.
“She has done a good job while she’s been here and we are certainly appreciative of all Mary has done for our community,” Brumback said.
Savage-Dunham confirmed the decision to take the new role and said it was entirely personal but declined to comment further on the move. She said she was grateful for the opportunity she had in Southington, where she first started in 2007.
Al Natelli Jr., member of the Southington Town Council, told the Record-Journal last week that he wasn’t entirely surprised by the move, saying it was instead the natural next step for Savage-Dunham’s to advance in her career:
“That’s what you do (to advance), you move to different places,” he said.
For the town, Savage-Dunham’s final day will come almost a year after the town terminated former Southington Town Engineer Anthony Tranquillo, citing “inability to adapt” as one of the reasons for his being let go. James Grappone, who is still listed as the “acting town engineer,” remains in charge of the Southington Engineering Department.
Brumback acknowledged Monday that this position and involvement between the planning and engineering departments as separate or consolidated departments would have to be part of the discussion.
“There’s a lot of work left to do,” Brumback said.
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