Portsmouth Town Administrator Won't Seek Another Contract

Portsmouth’s Town Administrator, John C. Klimm, will not seek a contract renewal and plans to move on to new opportunities.

Klimm, who came to Portsmouth from Barnstable, Mass. in 2012, has led the town through a challenging period of fiscal overhaul and can be credited for bringing in long-overdue long-term budget planning and fiscal prudence to town operations.

In just three years, Portsmouth has come to terms with some major issues that seemed insurmountable a few years ago. The broken wind turbine is on a path to replacement, town facilities and operating procedures have been rethought with some put out to bid and his administration has established mechanisms to ensure decisions in Portsmouth are data-driven and based on long term success.

The proof in the pudding is the town’s recent bond ratings upgrade to AAA status -- the highest possible rating and a mark shared by only one other Rhode Island community: Barrington.

Klimm told EastBayRI.com that he has enjoyed his time in Portsmouth has worked well with the Town Council and staff. The decision, he said, is based on a desire to move on to new opportunities, possibly in education, or consulting.

“I’ve really come to love the community and think I’m leaving it in a much better place,” he said.

Though his contract ends at the end of January, Klimm said he’s agreeable to staying on for a time to help with the budget process heading into the next fiscal year. He said he wanted to give the town plenty of advance notice to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Photo: Patch file photo.