The City has ended the employment of eight workers, including executive director of the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) Ellen Lipsey, according to Mayor’s Office spokesperson Kate Norton.
The BLC has played a prominent role in the Mission Hill area, putting landmark designations on such buildings as the Isabella Stewart Garner Museum and the Parker Hill Branch Library. “As with any administration, there are a number of staff changes that take place at various points. Some of these positions are simply being taken in a different direction,” Norton said in an email to the Gazette.
The other seven employees are Susan Cascino, director of Recycling Programs at the Public Works Department; Steven Gregory Dolan, executive assistant at the Traffic Division; Kathleen Green, a health insurance coordinator; Bernard Lynch, executive assistant at the Boston Parks and Recreation Department; Alda Marshall, director of public/private partnerships at the Office of Arts & Culture; Paul McColgan, directions of operations at the Traffic Division; and Joseph Mulligan, deputy director at Property Management.
When asked why Lipsey’s employment with the administration ended, the Mayor’s Office would only say that it will act quickly to find a replacement for her, and that the BLC will continue to play a crucial role.
The Gazette attempted to contact Lipsey, but a number for her listed online was no longer in service.
The Gazette questioned the Mayor’s Office for more information about Lipsey’s removal and the future of the BLC.
Kate Norton, spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office, did not directly respond about Lipsey removal, but said, “Mayor Walsh remains committed to the protection and enhancement of Boston, as well as its environment. There are areas in our City that reflect distinctive features of our social, cultural and architectural history, and the mayor intends to preserve that very fabric of what makes Boston such a special place to live and visit.”
The Gazette also asked the Mayor’s Office about the search for a replacement for Lipsey and what criteria the administration will be looking at for the next executive director. Norton said, “The administration is moving forward quickly to ensure that an appropriate person is in place.”
The Gazette also reached out to the Boston Preservation Alliance (BPA), a nonprofit that advocates for historic preservation projects in the city, about the changes at the BLC. BPA Executive Director Greg Galer said in an email that the organization has a “long-standing working relationship” with the BLC and that “evolution is a natural part of city government.”
“We look forward to engaging future leadership of these agencies in our work to enhance this city’s important historic resources,” he said.