Cipperly is new town planner

(2/7) Emmitsburg’s new town planner is on the job and her name is Sue Cipperly.
“It’s an intriguing opportunity,” Cipperly said during a phone interview. “Emmitsburg has a lot of things going on for a small town.”

Cipperly accepted the position, which will eventually phase out the need for the contracted services of Jakubiak and Associates, the Annapolis consulting firm that has been updating the town’s master plan.

Jakubiak and Associates’ services cost Emmitsburg about $85,000 in 2007. Cipperly’s salary about half of that amount.

Cipperly lives in Gettysburg and has experience as a municipal and county planner. She spend eight years with the Adams County Planning Office as a county planner and five years with the Town of Queensbury, NY, finishing as a senior planner.

“Through these employment situations, I have dealt with zoning and subdivision matters, comprehensive planning, water supply, stormwater management, housing issues, etc. I have also work with organizations such as the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin on matters of water supply and stormwater management that affect both Pennsylvania and Maryland,” Cipperly wrote in her application letter to the town.

Eighteen candidates applied for the position of town planner. The human resources consultant did the background and reference checks on the candidates and passed the most-promising ones onto Mayor James Hoover and Town Manager Dave Haller for an interview. Hoover then conducted a second interview later.

“I believe that this person is a good fit for the community and for us,” Hoover said during the Jan. 23 town meeting before Cipperly had been identified.

“I was very impressed with the spectrum of her knowledge and her manner when being put under under that pressure (of the interview),” Haller added.

As Cipperly comes into the position, Commission President Chris Staiger outlined a couple of priorities he wanted her to focus on: 1) Look at the town’s development ordinance and make recommendations for revision or improved smart growth and 2) Look at the town’s proposed adequate public facilities ordinance and make recommendations for revisions.