Londonderry Planning Director Resigns

Andre Garron, the town's director of planning and economic development, is resigning effective Oct. 12 to take a position with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.

Garron, who has been the town's planning director for 13 years, said Tuesday that he decided to leave because he sees the UNH position as "a better opportunity." He said it had nothing to do with the recent reorganization of his department.

"My decision had nothing to do with that," he said. "It was just a better opportunity for me, and so I took it."

In August, Acting Town Manager Bill Hart shifted the Building Department, which had been overseen by Garron, to the Office of the Town Manager. Hart said at the time that the move was intended to allow Garron to "fully direct his attention to Planning and Economic Development." The move also reduced Garron's pay by more than $6,000.

Hart said Garron submitted his letter of resignation on Sept. 25.

"His work here was always strong, characterized by not just his professional expertise but a sense of personal decency that really built a team atmosphere in Planning and Economic Development," Hart said Tuesday. "He will be missed by this community as we face the challenges coming in the next few years."

Garron admitted that it was a difficult summer at Town Hall, between Town Manager Dave Caron's resignation in July and the impact fee controversy.

"It was a difficult summer," he said. "To lose someone like Dave Caron, it's difficult. The disarray and uncertainty that brought about at Town Hall was disconcerting."

Garron, who lives in Bedford, will now serve as the community and regional economic development specialist at the UNH Cooperative Extension, where he said he'll be focused on using the the school's research and educational resources "to increase economic devvelopment among communities in New Hampshire.

"I like everything about the position," he said. "I thought it was a good move for me."

Garron said what he will miss most about Londonderry are his co-workers and the residents of the town.

"My colleagues here, my staff, the people I work with...," he said. "All those people I'm going to miss. They're so underappreciated here. They do a great job that goes largely unrecognized. And also the people I serve. There are a lot of good people in Londonderry doing a lot of good things on behalf of the town. I'll miss that as well."