Worcester City Manager's Departure Heralds Change Year In City

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. on Tuesday announced his intention to step down this spring, a massive shakeup during an already tumultuous time in local government.

Augustus took the city manager job in January 2014, but the Worcester native has been a tall figure in local, state and federal politics for decades.

"Serving the people of Worcester as its sixth city manager has been the honor of my life. I am forever grateful for the support I have received from the City Council, the city family, and the residents of Worcester. I take great pride in the accomplishments we have achieved together — united in a common purpose: to improve the quality of life of our residents," Augustus said in a news release.

Under Worcester's Council-Manager form of government — known as Plan E — Augustus' role in government was more akin to a mayor. Augustus was at the forefront of some of Worcester's biggest moves over the past decade, most notably inking a deal to bring the Pawtucket Red Sox to town and build a new stadium on top of a former Wyman-Gordon site in Kelley Square.

Augustus, 56, more broadly oversaw a phenomenon known as the "Worcester Renaissance," welcoming scores of new developments to the city, and a resulting growth in population: Worcester reached its highest ever population mark in the 2020 Census. That growth also came with pain, with rents and home prices up sharply, and continuing to rise.

In his resignation announcement, Augustus also highlighted achievements inside city government, like creating the Office of Urban Innovation and the Department of Health and Human Services, and hiring the city's first Chief Diversity Officer — a role that has drawn controversy in recent weeks.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Augustus — along with Mayor Joseph Petty and Medical Director Michael Hirsh — was one of the leading figures setting policy and delivering often bad news about the virus. Augustus ended up contracting the virus in December 2020.

Augustus grew up in the Webster Square and entered government service in his 20s as a member of the Human Rights Commission. He won a seat on the Worcester School Committee in 1989 and served two terms before heading to Washington to serve in the administration of former president Bill Clinton.

Augustus later worked as chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern before winning election to the state Senate in 2004. He won a second term in 2006, but declined to run in 2008. State Sen. Michael O. Moore has held the 2nd Worcester District seat ever since. Augustus took over as city manager in 2014 after serving as director of government relations at Holy Cross.

The city manager's departure will be a big change for Worcester — but it will come as change is sweeping across the city.

Augustus' announcement comes just a few weeks after six-term Mayor Joseph Petty — who leads both the City Council and School Committee — announced his 2022 bid for state Senate. Petty has said he would step down as mayor if he wins the seat. Petty, along with Robyn Kennedy, is running for a seat being vacated by Harriette Chandler, who announced her retirement in January after two decades in the Senate.

"Through persistent and progressive action, we have all helped make a city that is ready for the decades to come. Ed has left his thumbprint on our city in so many ways and his intellect, acumen, and experience will be missed," Petty tweeted Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Maureen Binienda will leave the job at the end of June after six years. The School Committee in September voted not to renew her contract.

Worcester also greeted a slate of new elected officials in January who broke new ground in government: At-Large Councilor Thu Nguyen, the first nonbinary elected official in Massachusetts; Jermaine Johnson, the first Black man to serve on the School Committee; and School Committee member Jermoh Kamara and District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who both fled war and political oppression in their countries of birth.

Augustus' last day will be May 31, he said in the news release. Petty said during Tuesday's Council meeting that the city will begin the process of replacing Augustus "over the next couple of weeks."