Plainville Brings Back Previous Employee As Town Planner

By Brian M. Johnson, The Bristol Press

February 17, 2022

Mark Devoe, who previously served as the town’s director of planning and economic development, will return effective Feb. 28 as Town Planner.

Devoe worked for the town for a total of 18 years over two periods, from 1995 to 2003 and then from 2008 to 2018. He left in 2018 to become town planner in another community and then briefly worked for himself as a business owner before returning to town.

Following the resignation of Town Planner Garret Daigle, Town Manager Robert E. Lee approached Devoe and worked out an agreement with him to fill the position. Daigle was hired for a position as Assistant Town Planner in Farmington.

“He did a great job and we will miss him,” said Lee of Daigle. “After he gave us his two weeks’ notice, I knew that he would take longer than two weeks to replace. I called Mark and asked if he would be willing to work with us. He expressed an interest in filling the position. Mark has done a great job for our town in the past, he has a lot of institutional knowledge and he is very committed to our town.”

Devoe said Tuesday that he is “happy to be back.” In his role as Town Planner, he will be working with Cal Hauburger, the town’s Economic Development Coordinator, as well as the town’s director of technical services, the fire marshal and building officials.

“We’ll all be working together to push the wheel in the same direction,” said Devoe.

DeVoe said that he plans to review the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development, which was adopted in 2019 after his input.

DeVoe also plans to oversee the town’s Affordable Housing Plan Survey, in which residents can provide feedback on how to develop a plan that best serves their needs.

DeVoe will also be assisting the town on other ongoing projects that he has worked on in the past, such as the rehabilitation and sale of the former White Oak Construction property near the Municipal Center.

Brian M. Johnson can be reached at 860-973-1806 or bjohnson@bristolpress.com.