Groton — Longtime Town Manager Mark Oefinger, who has served as a leader in Groton and for the region, told the Town Council this week that he will retire in March after 35 years with Groton, including 14 years as the town manager.

“This was not an easy decision,” Oefinger, 63, wrote in a Dec. 8 letter given to town councilors on Tuesday. “I have invested 35 years of service with the Town of Groton. I live in our community; I am devoted to it and I am passionate about serving it.”

His last day at work will be March 10. Oefinger said he would then use vacation time before retiring to give the town time to prepare for his departure and allow the next manager time to prepare for budget deliberations for the coming fiscal year.

“We are in the midst of several major projects requiring the manager’s attention, making it hard to leave,” Oefinger wrote. “But there will never be a good time to step away. Retiring now will allow the new manager to come on board as projects continue to develop, instead of when they are in full swing."

"My decision to retire was a difficult one, but I believe this timing is best for the town and for me,” he wrote.

In November, Groton voters approved a $184.5 million referendum to build a new middle school and upgrade and convert its two existing middle schools into elementary schools. The town also is in the midst of economic development initiatives and has a charter revision commission looking at how its government is structured.

In addition, Groton leaders are debating how to hold down taxes while maintaining services. Last year, the council and Representative Town Meeting cut deeply into some town departments.

Town Mayor Bruce Flax said he didn't expect Oefinger's retirement announcement.

"When he told us the other night, I was shocked," Flax said. Oefinger has served for so many years that "his leaving will create a void that will be very challenging," Flax said.

Oefinger also is on the executive committee of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments.

"When I think of Mark Oefinger, I think of his honesty, his ethical character and his industriousness. There's probably nobody who works harder in local government than Mark Oefinger," said Jim Butler, executive director of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments. "He's been inspirational to somebody like me."

Oefinger helped prevent closure of the Naval Submarine Base, represents Groton on the Southeast Area Transit District board, participated in last year's study of the regional bus system and is involved in the joint land use study of the submarine base, Butler said.

Tony Sheridan, president and chief executive officer of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, said Oefinger always saw the bigger picture.

"Mark has been a great leader, not just for the town but for the entire region," Sheridan said. "He's a smart man, he's a dedicated person. He did a great job for the town of Groton and I've always admired his work."

During the 1990s, Sheridan served as first selectman in Waterford and observed Oefinger then. "We were obviously trying to improve Waterford and modernize it, and kind of living in the past in some ways," Sheridan said. "And I always looked to Groton and to Mark Oefinger to see what they were doing because they were a very progressive community, even back then."

Oefinger began in Groton as town planner in 1978, became director of planning in 1982, then left five years later to take a position with a private development company. In 1991, he returned to lead the town's newly formed economic development program, and was appointed director of the Department of Planning and Development Services two years later.

He was appointed town manager in 2002.

"I don't think there's anybody in town that has the breadth of knowledge and the historic background that Mark's got," said Scott Newsome, Representative Town Meeting moderator. Oefinger "could name pretty much any parcel of land in the town for the past 30 years and he knows the history of it."

Oefinger said he’s proud of the accomplishments of citizens, elected leaders, volunteers and town staff.

“We have built some of southeastern Connecticut’s best schools, saved the Groton Naval Submarine Base three times, built stronger relationships with major employers and improved the quality of life here,” he wrote. “We have managed to keep tax increases to a minimum while providing outstanding services to our community.”

The council will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday with Human Resources Director Robert Zagami to discuss how to proceed in the search for a new manager.

"Groton is going to miss him dearly," said Town Councilor Harry Watson, who served on the Town Council that appointed Oefinger as town manager in 2002. "I have nothing but respect for Mark, his professionalism, what he does. We all retire, but with this one, our town is going to have a hard time filling the vacancy."

d.straszheim@theday.com