Abbruzzi

WARREN — Town Manager Michael J. Abbruzzi is resigning to take a job as the chief financial officer of the state Department of Transportation.

Abbruzzi, who was hired by the town in 2002, formally notified the Town Council by e-mail on Sunday that he had accepted an offer to become the associate director of financial management at the state agency. He is set to leave Warren at the end of next month and start his new position at the beginning of October.

Abbruzzi currently earns $71,718 a year and will have a starting annual salary at the DOT of $89,135. He said that his decision to take the job has nothing to do with the increased pay.

“I’ve been in Warren for almost seven years now,” he said in an interview yesterday. “That, to me, is a good time to step off and allow someone else to move in and bring in a new energy for the town.”

He replaces Marc Leonetti at the DOT who held the financial management position for about a year before leaving to become state comptroller at the state Department of Administration. The DOT job was posted June 9.

Abbruzzi said that he applied for the job about two months ago, and, after receiving an offer, told council president Frank J. Alfano at the end of last week that he would likely accept the position.

Abbruzzi’s decision to leave town government follows the recent resignations of two department heads. Kathleen Raposa left her position as finance director in June to take a similar position with the Town of East Greenwich. Town Planner Michelle Maher is set to become the statewide commercial recycling coordinator at the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. Her last day at Town Hall is Friday.

Abbruzzi said his decision to seek another job was unrelated to the other departures.

“I think it’s coincidental that the turnover is happening at the same time,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned it’s not a reflection on working for the town.”

Abbruzzi, a Providence College graduate, was hired in January 2002 after a 20-year career at the Coca-Cola Co., where he held various finance-related jobs, doing work in Europe and elsewhere. He was the council’s unanimous selection for the town manager’s job.

At the time he was hired, there were questions by some about his qualifications because he hadn’t previously worked in the public sector or had any education in public administration.

Those questions were largely put to rest during his time in office. They were raised once again this past year, however, when a commission was formed to look at revising the Town Charter. Among their proposed amendments was a recommendation to tighten the qualifications for the town manager’s position.

In addition, the commission recommended transferring the power to hire and fire town employees from the town manager to the council.

Ultimately, the council decided not to move forward with either proposal.

Abbruzzi said that the debate around the town manager’s qualifications did not affect whether he wanted to stay or leave.

“It’s a good opportunity,” he said, referring to the DOT job. “And I decided to take it.”

akuffner@projo.com