Town Planner Resigns

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
June 22nd 2023

RICHMOND – Town Planner Shaun Lacey is leaving Richmond. His letter of resignation, sent on Thursday, states that his last day will be July 28.

“It is with a heavy heart that I resign as Town Planner,” the letter reads. “After careful thought, I have accepted an exciting career-advancement opportunity with the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command [NAVFAC].”

Lacey, who will be a Community Planner at the submarine base in Groton, came to Richmond from North Kingstown about four and a half years ago.

In an interview on Thursday, he said that he was excited about his new position with the United States Navy, but also sad to leave the town.

“I want to thank all the residents and all the volunteers in the business community that have supported my work and my efforts over the past four and a half years,” he said. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of them personally, and I consider many of them friends of mine, after all the years have gone by.”

Planning Board Vice Chair Dan Madnick said he and Lacey had enjoyed a productive working relationship.

“Shaun has been instrumental in working towards fulfilling the goals and actions of the town comprehensive community plan and work towards a better Richmond,” he said in an emailed statement. “I give credit to Shaun for educating me on municipal planning and understanding land use when I joined the planning board in 2019. Since then, Shaun and I have worked diligently together, along with the members of the planning board to follow the comprehensive community plan and zoning regulations. Shaun fostered an environment where developers and the planning board respectfully worked together to meet the goals of both parties.”

Town Administrator Karen Pinch, who works closely with Lacey, said she hoped that his economic development initiatives would continue to progress after he leaves.

“We have big shoes to fill with Shaun’s departure,” she wrote in an email.  “He’s never been one to just be reactive to what comes into his office; he’s been very proactive in moving Richmond forward with projects and initiatives.  I sincerely hope that the developers Shaun’s been working with will continue to move forward with their plans to invest in Richmond.”

A troubled town 

Beneath the niceties of his departure letter and the tributes from colleagues, Lacey’s resignation comes as no surprise to those familiar with the inner workings of the town. Lacey - and other town administrators and staff - have come under pressure from some members of the Town Council, who sometimes questioned their decisions.

Town Council Vice President Richard Nassaney addressed the issue head-on.

“I am deeply saddened and utterly disgusted in the conduct of council members, [and] members of the public that have done nothing but sabotage, attack, degrade and vilify a great man, who has done nothing but embrace our community and made it better and continued to make it better. But, they had their political agenda, to do nothing but attack him and undermine everything that he has ever done, with no understanding of the consequences of what they have done,” he said.

Reached on vacation, Council President Mark Trimmer said he had learned of Lacey’s resignation on Thursday morning but had suspected, before the formal announcement, that he was preparing to leave.

“I had suspicions for some time,” he said. “You don’t line up a job like he just lined up in a couple of weeks.”

Trimmer said he believed that Lacey had done good work for Richmond.

“I truly feel that he was guiding the town in the right direction,” he said. “I feel that his professionalism and expertise were very valuable for the town.”

Lacey’s departure comes at a time when the town is trying, (as it has for more than a decade) to attract commercial investment while preserving its rural qualities. The ongoing acrimony between council members is making it more difficult to achieve that elusive balance.

“I truly counted on his knowledge and expertise,” Trimmer said. “I understand that there were other pressures. Unfortunately, it’s very, very difficult to find someone with his level of expertise.”

What now?

With a divided, bickering council, some of whose members have made town staff uncomfortable, it could be challenging to find a qualified planner to replace Lacey.

Nassaney said he felt that the town was regressing to the chaotic days before former council President Henry Oppenheimer took over.

“What they have done is more damage,” Nassaney said. “They brought us back to the pre-Henry Oppenheimer era, when this town was regarded as something you just stay away from,” he said.

The conclusion of Lacey’s letter makes an oblique reference to the Town Council:

“Finally, I wish to offer some strong suggestions to the current and future elected leadership of Richmond [in no particular order]:” he wrote. “1) listen to and trust your experts; 2) be civil and respectful to one another; 3) place the needs of the many above the needs of the few; and 4) to quote the late Daniel Burnham, “make no little plans.”

The council will discuss the resignation and the search for a new planner at the July 18 meeting.

“Dated Today, June 22, 2023, Shaun Lacey’s letter follows:

Dear Town Council and Richmond residents,

It is with a heavy heart that I resign as Town Planner. After careful thought, I have accepted an exciting career-advancement opportunity with the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC). My last day working in Richmond will be Friday, July 28.

Please know that I worked tirelessly to meet the needs of this community amidst evolving environmental, economic, and political pressures. To that end, I was fortunate to work with some wonderful staff, town officials, and many, many volunteers to achieve the town’s goals and uphold its values.

I am optimistic about new projects on the horizon that will likely shape the future of the community. The advent of these projects are based upon a land use strategy that encourages development along the town’s growth center (Route 138 from Town Hall to Route 3), predicated on favorable economic cycles and local regulations designed to capitalize on market demands. After years of careful planning, I’m pleased to see those efforts beginning to yield results.

It is very important to strike the right balance between new housing and commercial opportunities and protecting areas undesirable for development in order to retain the town’s agricultural and rural identity. To support growth where it belongs, I strongly recommend that town leadership closely study its existing infrastructure weighed against future needs, and make the necessary long-term investments to support private enterprise. Some examples include creating a long-term public water management plan (in partnership with the Town of Hopkinton) and a Complete Streets program for Main Street with support from RIDOT. I also encourage the town to conduct a sewer feasibility study in Wyoming to identify the cost and process for permitting, design, and construction, and to understand the potential return on that investment.

I wish to thank the residents and the business community who supported my efforts over the past few years, many of whom I now consider friends. I’d like to extend special thanks to the current and former members of the Planning Board, Land Trust, Conservation Commission, Dog Park Committee, and Affordable Housing Committee for their enthusiasm and civic engagement. I also implore the public to be engaged and educated on all matters pertaining to land use, municipal economics, and capital improvements.

Finally, I wish to offer some strong suggestions to the current and future elected leadership of Richmond (in no particular order): 1) listen to and trust your experts; 2) be civil and respectful to one another; 3) place the needs of the many above the needs of the few; and 4) to quote the late Daniel Burnham, “make no little plans.”

Sincerely,

Shaun Lacey, AICP

Town Planner

Town of Richmond