City council has decided not to renew the contract for the manager of planning for the city.
In an in camera meeting last month council elected to not retain the services of Mike Maturo, who had been the city’s senior planner for several years, as a cost saving measure.
“There’s never an easy or good way to do that,” said councilor Jill Spearn at the Sept. 23 council meeting about cutting the senior planning position.
Council had to look at the hard realities of restructuring the finances and the budget for the city, she added.
“It’s not personal,” Spearn said. “It was a very difficult decision letting Mike Maturo go.”
She said it wasn’t feasible for the city to have two planners in the building when planning and development in the city was at a low point.
“It was a decision of position, not personal,” agreed councilor Kathy Wallace. “He has been a significant player in a number of projects this city has had.”
Council publicly thanked Maturo for his contributions.