Town hires engineer to fill open position

By Kym Soper
Journal Inquirer
Published: Friday, May 9, 2008 3:10 PM EDT

VERNON — The town hired a new engineer this week — and not a moment too soon, as demands on the short-staffed office heat up with the construction season.

The new engineer, Terry McCarthy — former vice president and group manager of the transportation and site development division in the New Britain office of the Maguire Group — started his first day of work Wednesday. He will be paid $73,455 annually.

McCarthy replaces Tim Timberman, who resigned in January.

The Town Council Tuesday voted unanimously to approve Mayor Jason L. McCoy’s appointment of McCarthy, who spent his entire 20-year career in the private sector with the Massachusetts-based engineering firm.

Among the many projects he’s worked on are: Northend electrification project for Amtrak, Mayberry Village Road in East Hartford, safety improvements to Interstate-84 in Hartford and West Hartford, reconstruction and widening of Interstate 91 from Windsor Locks to Enfield, reconstruction of Brainard Road in Enfield, East River Drive Extension in East Hartford, and Route 190, Hazard Avenue in Enfield.

He also worked on the Enfield Memorial Industrial Park project and won awards for work on the relocation of Route 601, the “Frog Bridge” in Windham.

He is a licensed engineer in seven states, including Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts.

During his tenure Timberman was suspended without pay in February 2006 when it was discovered that, in violation of the town charter, he had been practicing without a state license for at least five years.

His license was reinstated and Timberman was back to work within the month, but in recent years he came under fire for thorny road construction projects.

Timberman never gave a reason for his resignation.

The land use departments have seen major upheaval over the last year, losing Chief Building Official and Zoning Enforcement Officer Gene Bolles, who died a year ago March 13, as well as former Town Planner Neil Pade, who left last June for a similar job in Canton. Also gone is Town Surveyor Earl Kloter who retired in December.

Leonard Tundermann replaced Pade last fall, while Abraham Ford and Stephen Dupre were hired to oversee building and zoning. Civil Engineer David Gooch has been doing all engineering work for the town since Timberman left.