City of Framingham’s Acting Director of Planning and Community Development Resigns

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FRAMINGHAM – The City of Framingham’s Acting Director of Planning and Community Development has submitted her resignation.

Erika Oliver Jerram, who has been the acting director since the start of the fiscal year July 1, 2021, is leaving for a job in the Town of Billerica.

Her last day will be March 25.

Jerram had been the Deputy Director of Community & Economic Development since December of 2014.

She became the acting director of the department, when director Kevin Shea left the City in June 2021.

Jerram was hired as the senior planner for the Town of Framingham in December of 2007. She has been with the municipal government for more than 14 years.

It is unknown at this time who will oversee the department when she leaves, but likely the Chief Operating Office Michael Tusino.

The City of Framingham began advertising for an Acting Director of Planning and Community Development yesterday, March 9 at $113,000 to $125,000 annually.

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Mayor Charlie Sisitsky has said that the planning, economic development, and community development department is a priority to him.

He plans to submit a re-organization plan for that department to the 11-member City Council for approval later this month.

The City Council rejected a couple of re-org plans submitted by the Spicer Administration between 2018-2021.

To force the Spicer administration to submit a new plan, the City’s legislative branch took the drastic step to eliminate the director of the department in the current budget.

The City Council in June 2021 voted 8-3 to eliminate the salary of City of Framingham Planning, Community Development, and Economic Development Director Kevin Sheas as of July 1, 2022.

The vote to cut the salary was supported by City Councilors George King, Janet Leombruno, Christine Long, Adam Steiner, Michael Cannon, Robert Case, Phil Ottaviani, and John Stefanini.

Votes against the cut were District 2 Councilor Cesar Stewart-Morales, District 7 Councilor Margareth Shepard, and District 9 Councilor Tracey Bryant.

Shea’s salary was $118,454.

The assistant director’s salary was just under roughly $99,500. her salary was not cut.

Assistant Director Jerram became the interim director as of July 1, and the Spicer administration made the decision to increase her salary at that time, to the director’s level, without approval of the legislative branch.

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