Northborough Town Planner will retire at the end of the year

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Northborough Town Planner will retire at the end of the year
Inspector of Buildings Bob Frederico applauds as Kathy Joubert announces her retirement in a meeting with the Northborough planning board. (Screenshot/via Town of Northborough)

NORTHBOROUGH – Longtime Northborough Town Planner Kathy Joubert announced her retirement during a Dec. 7 Planning Board meeting.

That marked her last meeting with the Planning Board.

“I think most people have heard,” Joubert said. “Once you start talking about it, it spreads faster than you can get ahead of it, but it’s all a good thing.”

Her last day will be Dec. 31. She has worked in the public sector since she finished graduate school and has been in Northborough for over 30 years.

“I think it’s just in my blood to work with the public and volunteers,” she said. “It’s been wonderful being here in Northborough and working with the Planning Board and all of the other boards. I absolutely appreciate all of the work that you do.”

She received the Northborough Rotary Club’s Pride in Workmanship award back in 2016.

Both of her parents were avid volunteers, and her father was a public servant for the Town of Shrewsbury, the Community Advocate noted at the time.

“I still love getting up every morning and coming to work,” Joubert said at the Rotary event. “I still love my job.”



 

She also serves as staff liaison for other Northborough boards, like the Zoning Board of Appeals. She joked that, once retired, she will be free from night meetings.

“I don’t even know what’s that going to be like,” Joubert said.

The board joked that she can still watch their meetings on TV.

Inspector of Buildings Bob Frederico applauded following Joubert’s announcement. Town Engineer Fred Litchfield pretended to cry.

The Planning Board thanked Joubert and wished her the best.

“It’s hard to believe,” said Planning Board member Amy Poretksy. “It won’t be the same.”

Planning Board member Michelle Gillespie said Joubert is “truly admired” throughout Massachusetts as a town planner.

“It’s a huge loss to the Town of Northborough, but you’ve certainly worked hard and you deserve this,” Gillespie said. “I would just say, she’s on the same level as [Town Administrator] John Coderre for his fiscal responsibility throughout the state. People truly admire Kathy and what she’s done. You will be missed.”

Joubert said Coderre’s office has advertised for the position.

“Hopefully, it won’t be too long before the position is filled and you’ll have another person to work with,” Joubert said.

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