New London — Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio this week signed a contract with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments for professional planning services while the city looks for a permanent city planner.

Under a contract approved by the City Council on July 6, planning reviews and recommendations for the Planning and Zoning Commission will be handled by SCCOG senior planner James Rabbitt.

Project management services, including technical support in planning for the National U.S. Coast Guard Museum, will be assigned to SCCOG consulting planner Thomas Wagner. Wagner worked as planner for Waterford for three decades before his retirement in 2012.

Tammy Daugherty, New London’s development and planning director, said the contract provides for essential services needed while the city looks to replace former city Planner Harry Smith, who left the city last month for a job as a planner in Branford.

“It’s a critical time for the National Coast Guard Museum and a critical time for other larger developments. The city can’t skip a beat. We have to be right there supporting these developments,” Daugherty said.

Along with the Coast Guard museum, Daugherty said, the city foresees planning work with such projects as the development of the parcel at the corner of Bank and Howard streets and the Garde Arts Center’s conversion into a visual and performing arts magnet high school.

Wagner will be part of a multi-departmental team helping to manage grant-funded projects that include infrastructure improvement work on Water Street where it intersects Governor Winthrop Boulevard and State Street.

The city is also in the midst of planning for improvements to the municipal parking area off Eugene O'Neill Drive. Wagner is expected to work with newly hired city grant writer Elizabeth Nocera.

“Grant money is great, but we need to have the staff to be able to fulfill our obligations,” Daugherty said.

Daugherty, who is the city project manager for the National Coast Guard Museum, said professional planning work is essential for the requirements that need to be in place by the time the ribbon is cut on the museum.

Rabbitt and Wagner will each work on an hourly, on-call basis. The contract calls for an hourly rate of $87.34 for Rabbitt and $100 for Wagner, plus travel expenses. Daugherty said money to pay them will come from the budget item designated for the former city planner’s salary.

The city is in the process of scheduling meetings with the SCCOG planners and also working on a job description to post an opening for the new city planner. It could be months, Daugherty said, before someone is hired.

She also expects some help during the transition from former Planner Smith.

SCCOG Executive Director James Butler said the council of governments provides planning services to several towns without their own planners, including Bozrah, Franklin, Sprague and Salem.

He said the council is willing to provide services on an interim basis to any of the 23 municipalities associated with SCCOG.

“We’re happy to do it for any of our towns. Our roots are as a planning agency,” Butler said.

The contract with SCCOG is effective through Dec. 31, though terms may be modified by joint action of the city administration and City Council or may be canceled with 30 days written notice, according to the contract.

g.smith@theday.com

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