Wong Moves On

The Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority announced yesterday that Lisa Wong is leaving to take a job at the Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development. It doesn't appear to be very good news.

Wong is intelligent and energized, and the city was seeing results with her running FRA. She set a high standard for her replacement. The city should now begin a search for someone with planning experience, but with youth and vitality.

In a way, Fitchburg should look at this like a mid-major college basketball program. You're not going to get Roy Williams, so find the next Roy Williams on the way up. Our two suggestions are both working the City of Lowell planning office. Adam Baacke is everything Fitchburg could want. In fact, he may be too high up in Lowell to pry him loose to come to Fitchburg, but he would be an absolute coup of a hire. If not Baacke, George Proakis. If neither bite, Fitchburg should consider taking whoever from Lowell those two recommend. It would be someone with experience revitalizing an urban, mill, downtown and working with Urban Renewal Plans. Those are two names we know, and there's certainly more just like those two.

In any circumstance, we hope the city is proactive in its search, and does more than place ads and wait for the resumes to come in. Target well-known names in the planning field and pitch them on the city. This is too important a job to sit back on.