Newburyport Mayor Announces Transition Plan for Department of Public Services

NEWBURYPORT — Mayor Sean Reardon is pleased to announce his transition plan for leadership at the Department of Public Services as the City continues its search for a permanent Director.

Jamie Tuccolo, Acting DPS Director, has accepted another position and will leave city employment on March 3. As a result Mayor Reardon is making the following temporary appointments:

• City Engineer Jon-Eric White will become Acting DPS Director effective March 3. White will serve in this capacity until a new Director is hired. White has worked for DPS since 2009. He will bring his vast knowledge of the Department’s systems and projects as he oversees the financial and strategic positioning of the agency on an interim basis.
• Jennifer Sullivan will become Acting DPS Deputy Director effective immediately. Sullivan joined the Water Department in 2016, and worked as Executive Assistant to Tuccolo. She will oversee all personnel under the department, successful creation and completion of work orders, and management of ongoing projects
• Ron Keefe will be named Operations Specialist on a temporary basis. Keefe joined the City in 2019 and worked most recently as Highway Division Foreman.

Together, Sullivan and Keefe will fulfill management and operations duties created by the departure of Tuccolo, who was Deputy Director/Director of Operations before becoming Acting Director.

The City will interview finalists for the Director position this week, and will aim to have a selected candidate in place by the end of March.

“The Department of Public Services has a strong leadership team, and I am confident that their excellent work will continue in the coming weeks,” Mayor Reardon said.