ROCKLAND, Maine — Rockland’s Community Development director abruptly resigned last week after the city agreed to pay her four months of salary and other benefits to drop any potential claims.
Audrey Lovering has been the city’s community development director since June 2011, when she was hired by former City Manager Rosemary Kulow.
The resignation agreement was signed on Oct. 10 by Lovering and on Oct. 11 by the city manager.
The agreement calls for Lovering to be paid a lump sum of $21,666 — equivalent to four months of her annual salary — to “resolve this dispute.” Nothing in the document explains what the dispute was about.
City Manager James Smith said Wednesday he could not comment on the reason for her resignation. He said there was no resignation letter. He provided the agreement at the request of the Bangor Daily News.
Smith did say that he and the community development director did not have any disagreements over the department’s direction.
The agreement also calls for the city to pay Lovering’s health insurance premiums through Jan. 31, 2013. The city also agreed to pay $2,000 to her law firm, Kelly and Collins of Belfast, as a lump sum for legal fees and expenses.
Smith said Lovering’s last day of work was Oct. 1.
“It is understood and agreed that this agreement does not constitute an admission by the city that any action it or its employees or representatives have taken was unlawful or wrongful,” the agreement states.
Lovering is barred from making any public statement that disparages the city, councilors or employees of the city, according to the agreement. If she makes any such statement she would be required to repay the settlement money.
Lovering could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
Rockland Mayor Brian Harden said he could not comment on the matter since it concerned a personnel issue.
One of Lovering’s duties had been to work with Rockland’s Economic Development Advisory Committee. Committee member George Terrien said Wednesday he had heard that Lovering was no longer with the city but he did not know why. He heaped high praise on Lovering, however.
“I thought she did an absolutely fabulous job,” Terrien said.
The advisory committee member said Lovering took a different approach than most to economic development, an approach he strongly supported.
“She believed that social justice was dependent on the economic health of a community, opportunities for employment and good education,” he said.
Lovering was involved, along with other organizations, in starting a summer lunch program for children and their parents this year. She also was active on a transit committee that looked at a possible regional bus service.
Lovering was successful in getting a grant for the city to study brownfields in the community, sites where there might be contamination. She also worked on the Rockland Harbor Trail project.
She also was working with the economic development advisory committee on the future of Camden Street once Walmart relocates to Thomaston. A construction crew began this week cutting a path off Dexter Street for a road for construction vehicles to use for the Walmart Supercenter project.
In the final weekly report she submitted to the city manager, dated Sept. 28, Lovering wrote that she had met with the Boston-based manager of the brownfield grant and gave her a tour of the working waterfront. She also listed working with Rockland Main Street Inc. to make final the $10,000 green grant to be used for the Harbor Trail in the Thorndike parking lot. She had met with the Penobscot Bay YMCA on the results of a healthy community grant, and had worked with other city officials to identify 30 tree planting sites throughout the city.
Before being hired in Rockland, Lovering had been a development associate for Developers Collaborative in Portland. She also had served as executive director of the Skowhegan Main Street program.
Lovering has a master’s degree in development administration and planning from University College London, Bartlett School, in England. She also has a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Southern Maine and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations and global affairs with a concentration in business and marketing from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Smith said he would soon be advertising the community development director position.
“I wish her all the best,” Smith said.
May all involved, and all of us proceed in light, love, and truth.
This is a personal matter and the City can not talk about it. By law. It a small city and I am sure it will be let out of the bag. MagT if you want to know what is going on at City Hall maybe you should run for City Council .
I don’t believe there is any law about reasons for termination being confidential. Just think of how many stories we’ve seen in BDN about Town Managers and Finance Directors being terminated with full disclosure of the reasons.
The reason details are not being disclosed are part of the agreement between her and the city. When this happens there is usually something in the background that one party or the other does not want to be public, usually because it would reflect negatively on one or both parties.
Perhaps one of the clues is in the agreement “Lovering is barred from making any public statement that disparages the city, councilors or employees of the city, according to the agreement. If she makes any such statement she would be required to repay the settlement money.”
The Rockland City Government represents the citizens of Rockland and they shoiuld have as many facts as possible about what is happening in their city. Apparently that’s not happening here.
“The Rockland City Government represents the citizens of Rockport” ??? What happened to the folks at the Rockport Town Office and the elected selectboard?
Rockland City Charter, Sec. 2-2-208 (5) “Information received and discussed during an executive session of the Rockland City Councilor any City agency shall be considered within the constraints of this section, and shall not be disclosed to any third part unless permitted by affirmative voteof such body.”
May all involved, and all of us proceed in light, love, and truth.
The excerpt actually proves your assertion that there is an obligation to disclose is false. Personnel issues are discussed in Executive Session for a very good reason. It protects the city and the employee from sensitive or embarrassing information being made public. I find you once again to be off the mark, Ms. Trout
I did not say there was an “obligation” to disclose. That the information can be disclosed, is what is stated. “… shall not be disclosed to any third part unless permitted by affirmative vote of such body.” The statement had been made that there was a prohibition barring disclosure, and that is not the case.
and we all know who on the city council LOVES executive session!
I see you still have not shared your real name even though you have no problem sharing the name of Ms. Trout. Come on man, grow a set and let everybody know exactly who you are. Unless of course, you really do have something to hide or be ashamed of.
You don’t do very well following rules, do you? Not something I want in any elected official. I can’t imagine what rules you might break while in your public position.
You sir, are a disgrace.
May all involved, and all of us, proceed in light, love, and truth.
Could be as simple as someone threw a hat at her and she didn’t throw anything back, thereby sending the message she was of a different caliber. In any event, perhaps its time to take a hard look at why this city has lost a dynamic individual who was obviously moving us forward. And while looking, also determine the exact reason why the chance was lost for the Super Walmart and move forward accordingly. “There’s an” App for That” in November on all levels of government.
May all involved, and all of us proceed in light, love, and truth.
“You would have to be within a position of authority within the city government, in order make this statement…” -MagT
That was my first thought after reading the attack against you by this “count” character.
“Count”…probably the treasurer or bookkeeper.
It could be anybody. I don’t even dare to guess who “count” really is because it could be any coward hiding behind that name.
probably mayor harden.
Possibly. Whoever it is, the person is a disgrace and does not deserve to serve in a public office. He appears to be one of those who believe the rules do not apply to everybody. I don’t even dare to guess who “count” really is because it could be any coward hiding behind that name.
Would you care to share your name on here? I see you have no problem sharing the name of Miss Trout, which I do believe is against the rules, so perhaps you would enlighten us instead of hiding behind your handle.
Don’t use the “you should share your name too” defense either. I do not share the names of people who use a handle to hide their identity. Ever.
Yeah, C’mon Count———–identify yourself! Or are you too much of a coward?
The following is the text of an e-mail I just sent to the Rockland City Council:
Members of the City Council,
I communicate to you my distress in learning that the City of Rockland was not able to provide Audrey Lovering with employment that would continue to engage her values, energy, and perseverance. Though she has only been working here for a relatively short time, her success in what she was hired to do communicates her effectiveness.
Though I do not know about the particulars surrounding her departure, I can only conclude from the report of a settlement in this morning’s Bangor Daily News that her severance was not voluntary, or for cause from her malfeasance. And though I also recognize that the City Manager is responsible for personnel matters, including the administration of Ms. Lovering’s work, I hope you, members of the Council, take responsibility for her departure, at least indirectly.
Given the size of the settlement, which goes well beyond usual payment of accrued time, etc., otherwise routine for departure, and given the suddenness of the decision to end her employment that I can only conclude was taken by the City, I hope that the Council will determine and explain publicly the reason for termination.
And beyond these immediate issues, I particularly hope that the Council will exercise its duty in setting and administering policy to verify that the values of community development reflected in the way in which Ms. Lovering performed her duties will be maintained, and, especially in these times that are so difficult for many of our citizens, reinforced in policy you decide, and in the hiring of a replacement of the director of community development I presume will be made by the City Manager, which I also presume that you collectively oversee. And far from parenthetically, I hope that the Council does not see the meaning of community development being replaced primarily by economic development, an activity we should see as a means to a larger end–the well being of our community and citizens where vision and compassion temper and even determine fiscal policy.
George B. Terrien
May all involved, and all of us proceed in light, love, and truth.
Very well written.
I would like to weigh in here. As a former consultant who worked in the area, I am familiar with Audrey. I thought she did a very solid job for the City. She faced a difficult situation and Rockland is a City who has the fortune of having a number of dedicated and involved citizens, as well as those who closely watch the goings on of the community (such as Mag T). I felt that Audrey was growing into her role well and while we can suspect that there was some nefarious plot to run her out of town, let me say this: Sometimes talented people don’t work well with other talented people. Sometimes there is no one to blame. Sometimes there is NO conspiracy. When I was with the Maine Coast Economic Alliance ( and yes, ny name is Justin, not Jason) I was surrounded by an incredibly talented Board of Directors and economic development professionals, such as Audrey The truth? The public sector is a draining and demanding profession. And you constantly have to answer to an often honest, but sometimes misguided notions of an involved citizenry, such as people like MagT, whom I respect but must philosophically disagree with here.
However, the comments of Coastal Count are ridiculous and have no pace in this discussion. Clearly, he/she does not understand the situation. It really comes down to this folks –
Sometimes there is no smoking gun, and no one to blame. Sometimess, to quote the great Vanessa Williams, “the snow comes down in June. Sometimes the sun goes ’round the moon”. Let it be folks. Wish Audrey the best and hope the Rockland’s council and very capable manager have the wisdom to select the next great community development director. You have a special thing over there. Don’t lose of sight of just how important all of that is at the end of the day
Nicely written and a pleasure to read. Thanks for sharing.
May all involved, and all of us proceed in light, love, and truth.
I, for one, do not know the reasons for Ms. Lovering’s departure.
George B. Terrien
Of course, Mr. Terrien. Mr. Betts made that clear in his report, but in listing the members, I thought it necessary to list all members. I am sorry that I did not refer back to the article regarding your understanding of the situation. Truly.
Discus, no offense taken at all. I simply wanted to make clear (to those who might be inclined to believe me) that I knew nothing, and when I found out, I had no idea that her departure was in the offing (as they say nautically). Good for you to stand up proud and be heard–our City (presume your citizenship) deserves no less.
George