Tiverton ends contract with town planner

Town planning function unstaffed at busy time

By Tom Killin Dalglish
Posted 4/22/17

TIVERTON — Marc Rousseau, who has served as town planner since February 2015, is leaving town service effective April 28. The Town Council, following an executive session on April 12, …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Tiverton ends contract with town planner

Town planning function unstaffed at busy time

Posted

TIVERTON — Marc Rousseau, who has served as town planner since February 2015, is leaving town service effective April 28. 
The Town Council, following an executive session on April 12, voted unanimously in public not to renew Mr. Rousseau's contract as administrative officer to the planning board.
Mr. Rousseau's most recent contract (dated Feb. 11, 2016) as town planner was for two years, and states that it (the contract) is "contingent upon the Planner also serving as the Town Council appointed Administrative Officer (AO) to the Planning Board."
Because the contingency contemplated by the planner contract has occurred, and the contracts are linked together, non-renewal of the AO contract means that the planner contract is also not renewed.
Although timing and notice concerns may exist in the manner in which Mr. Rousseau was advised of his non-renewal, Town Administrator Matt Wojcik said the town and Mr. Rousseau have agreed that April 28 will be Mr. Rousseau's last day under both contracts.
"I think he'll be given some form of severance," said Mr. Wojcik.
Council action not to renew Mr. Rousseau's contract had earlier been recommended by a 6-3 vote of the Planning Board on Feb. 7, when it too had gone into executive session to decide, and later vote, that Mr. Rousseau's contract to the planning board not be renewed.
Efforts to reach Mr. Rousseau for comment were unsuccessful.
Mr. Rousseau's departure leaves the town planning board without any professional staff at a time when the board has a proposed solar ordinance, the Tiverton casino, and a 275-unit housing project, as well as other development applications and matters, all under active review.
To help stabilize planning board operations in the absence of any professional planning or administrative staff, the council on April 12, in executive session, named Planning Board Chairman Stu Hardy and Vice-Chairman Susan Gill to serve as interim administrative officers, pending a more permanent solution to the staffing dilemma. Neither is trained as a planner.
"I was more or less made AO by the town council on April 12 in executive session," said Mr. Hardy. "I am now the AO and will continue to be the acting AO until April 24, when the town council may appoint Susan Gill as the acting AO, who's been very gracious with her time."
Mr. Hardy was upbeat about planning board continuity.
"I do think there are some resources that are available and everything will be covered that needs to be covered," he said.
Mr. Rousseau was first hired by the town as planner (his single title) under a $69,057 (including benefits) one-year contract in February, 2015.
In February 2016 he was given a two-year, two-title contract (as both planner and AO) that included the contingency clause linking the two titles. The new contract was for a total base salary of $56,100.
Things could more complicated down the road. Mr. Wojcik leaves town service in the early summer and the town is currently in a search for a new town administrator.
"The town planner and administrative officer positions may be among the positions that will be vacant when the new Town Administrator is appointed," Mr. Wokcik said.
Mr. Rousseau was first appointed by the council in February 2015, and given a one-year contract. The council vote to hire him at that time was 5-2, with Councilor Joan Chabot and former Councilor Peter Mello voting against.
Mr. Rousseau is a certified planner (AICP), a graduate of Providence College (in political science and public administration), and holds a master's degree from the University of Rhode Island in community planning.
He has held planning positions and/or headed planning or economic development offices, in Norton (three years), Easton (ten years), and New Bedford (11 years), Massachusetts,

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.