By Jason Rowe
Journal Inquirer
November 23, 2006

VERNON — A Hartford woman with 20-years experience as a municipal planner has been tapped to be the next assistant town planner and economic development director.

The Town Council voted 11-0 Tuesday to hire Marina C. Rodriguez to serve in the position, which has been vacant since Town

Planner Neil S. Pade was elevated from that position in early May. Republican Mark S. Etre was absent from the vote.

Rodriguez will come to Vernon in January after spending more than 20 years working in the city of Hartford 's Planning Department. Most recently, Rodriguez served as the city's chief staff planner.

Rodriguez said Tuesday that she was in the process of retiring from her post in Hartford and was looking for a way to continue her planning career. After seeing that Vernon had an opening in its planning office, Rodriguez said, she was intrigued by the opportunity.

Rodriguez said Vernon is a unique community because it has a city-like business district in the downtown Rockville section, rural areas south of Interstate 84, and a commercial corridor on Talcottville Road and Hartford Turnpike.

"I was looking for a smaller community to work in, so I answered the ad," Rodriguez said. "It's a nice combination and that's part of what attracted me to the community. I'm glad it worked out."

Rodriguez starts her new job on Jan. 2 and will earn an annual salary of $60,998, officials said.

In all, 18 people applied for the job and Rodriguez was selected from a pool of seven finalists narrowed down by a selection committee.