[Southsider2k12]

http://emichigancity.com/news.htm#retirement

New Michigan City Director of Planning and Inspection

After 28 years of service, current City of Michigan City Director of Planning and Inspection, John Pugh has announced his retirement.

After a thorough search conducted over the past several weeks, Mayor Ron Meer is pleased to announce that he has appointed Mr. Craig Phillips to become the new City of Michigan City Director of Planning and Inspection. Mr. Phillips brings to Michigan City an impressive educational resume along with a proven track record of successful work experience.

[Southsider2k12]

So looking closer, in the article in the paper, they just copied the press release word for word... nice reporting.

Anyway, wondering out loud, no one finds it funny that the announcement of Pugh resigning is at the same time as that his replacement was already found? And they have been conducting a search for "several weeks"?

[Ang]

Hey SSider...

Heard you on the radio yesterday, very nice what you said.

Is he retiring with a grudge though? Is reaction didn't seem very grateful to me, and I just get the impression he's ticked off at someone/something.....

[Southsider2k12]

I got to work with John on Planning Commission for about four years now. I have always found him professional and well versed in what is going on. I learned a lot from the guy about things like zoning and urban development. I don't know what happened, but I do know that I asked him if he was staying on when the Mayoral change was happening (and lots of City officials were saying they weren't coming back), and he was very clear that he wanted to keep doing what he had been doing for Michigan City.

I don't know what changed in less than a year, but to me it doesn't pass the smell test. Usually a guy who has been in local government as long as he has announces his retirement, THEN he gets replaced, and not the other way around. His reaction could have been because he was uncomfortable with the spotlight, or it could have been he was angry at the situation. I don't know. I didn't get a chance to ask him about the situation, as he left immediately after the meeting, and I stopped to ask someone else a question about another matter.