NEW: Worcester City Manager Michael O’Brien Resigns
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Wednesday, November 20, 2013
GoLocal News Team
Mike O'Brien
Worcester City Manager Michael O'Brien resigned today from his position, for a move to the private sector.
O'Brien, who has served at the post since 2004, has worked for the City of Worcester since 1994. He was named Commissioner of the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Department in 1997.
Statement from Chamber
Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Tim Murray had the following to say on the news.
"Personally, I am very happy for Mike O’Brien, his wife Beth and their two daughters and what this new chapter in the private sector means for their family.
Professionally, I am deeply disappointed that we will no longer have this high quality, hard working CEO leading the city that I, and so many others, love and call home.
Mike’s work ethic, energy, and enthusiasm will be missed by the city. Personally, I will miss working with him on a day-to-day basis as I have over the past 15 years."
More to come.
Related Slideshow: 7 Questions Worcester Mayor Petty Will Need To Answer
The following are seven big questions facing Worcester Mayor Petty in his secon term in office.
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1) City Manager's Position May Be Vacant
Michael O'Brien may leave to take a position in the private sector. O'Brien has been the proverbial glue that has held City Hall together. O'Brien is a competent fiscal manager and keeps the peace among the City Council.
Top-level government pros are NOT likely to line up for the Worcester job. Petty will be on the hot seat to find talent in the post-O'Brien era.
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2) Economic Development Mixed Reviews
The recent series in the Boston Globe and the overview in GoLocal outlined the lack of success Worcester has had in creating a comprehensive economic development plan. The results of the new construction has created some hope, but there lacks a comprehensive vision and the building seems to be developed in a vacuum. Mayor Petty seems to be extraneous except for the ribbon cutting ceremonies.
The biggest embarrassment was his lack of input into the casino process. Petty had no public opinion on the projects proposed in Worcester or the projects in adjacent towns.
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3) New Council
The new City Council will have its own personality, while the old council failed to debate or discuss - and too often voted in block.
A number of the council members just elected have promised to be more proactive. This could be a challenge for Petty -- or an opportunity to drive proactive change leveraging new ideas and new energy.
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4) Telegram Closing?
Since John Henry purchased both the Boston Globe and the Worcester Telegram, there have been a series of indications that Henry has a strong desire to invest in the Globe and has not said a public word or even visited the Telegram. Media experts have prophesied that the Telegram could be rolled into the Globe - a Globe West edition.
This would leave New England's second largest city without a daily newspaper. What has been deafening is Petty's lack of leadership on this issue. Can you imagine Tom Menino or Buddy Cianci waiting for a decision to be made on Morrissey Boulevard?
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5) Lack of Diversity in Worcester's Government
As GoLocal previously reported, more than 40 percent of Worcester's population is a minority, but you would not know it by who gets the city jobs. Worcester has more than 1,600 full- and part-time city employees and well over 80 percent of them are white.
In almost every department, the number of white workers far outnumbers minorities; some departments are as much as 98 percent white. It is a startling disparity in a city known for its diversity. There has been no concerted public effort to change this by Petty.
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6) Republican Governor Factor
Worcester may not be as wired to the Patrick Administration since Lt. Governor Murray resigned and returned to Worcester, but the Democratic Mayor can get his phone calls answered in the State House.
The next Governor of the Commonwealth could be Charlie Baker. The Democrats are looking at a bruising primary between AG Martha Coakley and Treasurer Steve Grossman, while Charlie Baker is looking like he may get a free ride through the GOP primary. Baker may not be so quick to be concerned about Joe Petty's phone calls.
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7) Legacy
Every Mayor wants to leave his or her city better than they found it -- and wanst to put a mark on the history of the City. Some Mayors focus on schools and others on major developments.
Mayor Petty has yet to define his priorities and the second term is the time to unveil a game plan on why he was the man for the job.
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