New Milford’s Zoning Enforcement Officer, Kathy Castagnetta, submitted a letter of resignation to the Zoning Commission this week, after serving in the land use office in town hall for the last eight years.
“I was assistant for about 10 months,” Ms. Castagnetta said. “Then Loretta Brickley retired, and I was right in there. I’ve been there ever since.” Her last day on the job will be Oct. 9.
Zoning Commission member Janice Vance was disappointed by the news. “I’m just very sorry to hear it. We’re going to miss her dearly,” she said. “She’s been just wonderful. She’s the voice of reason sometimes.”
In her letter to the commission, Ms. Castagnetta said she has been offered a job with a local company that represented an excellent opportunity. That job will be as a planner and office manager for Arthur Howland and Associates on Bridge Street, which is owned by civil engineer Paul Szymanski. The engineer is a regular presence at zoning meetings, presenting development plans and housing projects on behalf of clients for properties in New Milford.
Mr. Szymanski was happy about Ms. Castagnetta’s decision to join his growing firm. “I’ve worked with Kathy for more than two years since I purchased the company, and we’ve had a wonderful relationship,” he said. “So when it came to filling this position, we looked at people who were held in high regard, and she was one of the first people I considered. We’re lucky to have her coming to work for us.”
In her letter, Ms. Castagnetta said she would miss the board members and working for the town. “I have enjoyed the time I have spent working for the Town of New Milford and am grateful have had this opportunity,” she wrote. “I have learned a great deal about land use and have worked with wonderful people. I have been offered an excellent opportunity with a local company, and the experience gained from my current job led to this offer.”
“It has been a pleasure to work for Mayor [Pat] Murphy, Chairperson [Eleanor] Florio and the rest of the Zoning Commissioners these past eight years,” she wrote. “I will miss you, as well as all the other friends I have made at Town Hall. I will make every effort to facilitate a smooth transition within the Zoning Office so that customer service is not impaired.”
Ms. Castagnetta also recommended that the zoning board hire Laura Regan, who has worked in the land use office for some time. “I would strongly recommend the town not post the position of Zoning Enforcement Officer, but immediately offer it to Laura Regan,” she wrote. “Laura has been awarded a master’s degree in urban and regional planning, and is currently attending classes through the University of Connecticut toward obtaining her Connecticut Association of Zoning Enforcement Officer’s Certification. I believe her to be very qualified to fill the ZEO position.”
Serving as the ZEO has been a challenge, but on Wednesday Ms. Castagnetta said her responsibilities are much smoother and easier now than a few years ago. “There have been a lot of challenges, but once you learn how to do the job, it becomes easier,” she said. New Milford’s growth has resulted in more development applications, most recently for commercial properties on the Route 7 corridor. The commission is also involved in a legal appeal with Vespera, the development firm proposing a 445-unit active adult community on Candlewood Mountain Road, which it denied this summer. But Ms. Castagnetta said the growth wasn’t as much of an issue.
“A lot of what we do is about people who have a lot of property, and they don’t want to be told what they can or can’t do,” she said. “You also have to address the concerns of the neighbors … but it’s not that hard. It’s the same as always, you always have to deal with things like that.” “I’m confident that Laura will do a good job,” she said.
By Emily M. Olson – The New Milford Times