Temporary appointment made to enforcement position

By Susan MacEachron

Troy LaMere, supervisor for the Town of Norfolk’s road crew, has been appointed by First Selectman Matt Riiska to temporarily fill the position of Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO) and Wetlands Enforcement Officer (WEO) following the resignation of Karl Nilsen in mid-July.  

Former ZEO and WEO Michael Halloran resigned at the end of December but stayed on until early February as the town searched for a replacement. The position was initially offered to a recent college graduate, but when that did not work out, Nilsen was recommended to Riiska.  Nilsen, who had many years of zoning and land use experience, began working for the town in February.  

In addition to Nilsen, Marinell Crippen, who has been the secretary for both the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) and the Inland Wetlands Agency (Wetlands) for over three years, agreed to become the office manager. 

When asked his reason for resigning after five months, Nilsen said it was for personal reasons.  He made clear that he “loved” the people working in the town hall, but the job itself was “overwhelming.”

Riiska noted how difficult it is to fill various part-time positions in a small town. He said LaMere would be paid on an hourly basis for work required in the evenings, but any time he spent on zoning or wetlands matters during the day would not accrue additional compensation.  Riiska said he’s looking to fill the position and is speaking with someone who might be interested.