Didn't see this posted before; hope it's not a repost:
<i><b><a href="http://www.breezeobserver.com/Free/MAIN-PAW-Cassidy-leaving-w-pic">Valley Breeze</a><b></i>, 3/10/2010
Retiring planner served Pawtucket for 40 years
PAWTUCKET -- On June 30, a man with a wealth of understanding who colleagues say will not easily be replaced, will walk out the door of the Planning Department for the last time. One need only speak with those who worked alongside Planning and Redevelopment Director Michael Cassidy over the 40 years he served the city of Pawtucket to understand the profound impact this man had here. From ramps for the handicapped to planning for a future train station in the city, Cassidy has dealt with projects small and large with the same kind of honesty and thoroughness. He has not only been responsible for dealing with developers after they made proposals, but attracting those very same developers in the first place as executive director of the Pawtucket Redevelopment Agency. So much of what makes the city what it is today bears his fingerprint, say those who have worked with Cassidy. He was both the linchpin behind many successful projects in the city and a wall of defense, they say, against the projects that did not present the greatest benefit possible. "He has 40 years of institutional memory, he knows where every file is and has a handle on hundreds of different issues," said Herbert Weiss, economic and cultural affairs officer in Pawtucket. "Michael Cassidy was the best boss I ever had." Weiss said that even though Cassidy had influence in so many different areas of city life, it was his ability to delegate and trust those around him that made him truly great. Mayor James Doyle called Cassidy, with his unique administrative gifts and ability to serve in a host of different capacities, the type of person who "doesn't come along too often." "I think there's an old saying that people never truly appreciate who you are and what you do until you go," said Doyle. "He will be very, very sorely missed, and I think some people don't even realize how much they'll miss him yet." Cassidy told The Breeze that though he takes pride in those projects that people have seen, a multitude of recreational upgrades or steering the redevelopment of old and defunct properties into modern business facilities, it's those efforts that largely flew under the radar that may stick with him even more. He has been both intimately involved with historic preservation efforts locally, helping landowners protect and improve their properties, and with improving residential neighborhoods through the work of the Redevelopment Agency. "We don't have a lot of boarded-up houses in the city, and I'm proud of that," said Cassidy. "You don't see people putting up a sign saying, 'This ratty old house was taken down by the Redevelopment Agency.' It just disappears." Many of the projects Cassidy has helped plan have taken years to come to fruition, but when they're finally done, he said, the end result is very satisfying. "It's always been very rewarding to see something you worked on be utilized," said Cassidy. Other projects, significant ones like the train station, have not yet been realized, he said. Cassidy, who was eligible for his full pension two years ago, said he doesn't plan to stop working even after he "retires." "I'm going to keep myself very busy," he said. "I'm still young. My father's 87 and he's still playing softball and just got a job with the census, so I don't see why I can't do the same thing." Cassidy began his career in Pawtucket straight out of Boston College in 1970. He served in a variety of roles for 22 years before a promotion to director in 1992. A man who has now served under nine Pawtucket mayors has held the title of secretary/treasurer of the Pawtucket Business Development Corp. and is currently the secretary of the city's Riverfront Commission. He was highly involved with the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and is past and present member of several boards and commissions on the state and local level. "He is highly respected across the state," said Doyle, who emphasized that it will be difficult to find a replacement for Cassidy.
