WOONSOCKET — Hoping to tell her constituents about her plans to retire, thank her staff and to allay worries about the future of the city, Mayor Susan D. Menard paid a visit to the City Council meeting last night and spoke about 20 minutes about her plans.

Menard said there was so much misinformation concerning her departure that she wanted to tell people in person. “I wanted to talk about why I’m going and how wonderful the people are, my directors,” she said afterward. “I am confident Leo [Fontaine, council president, who will take over as mayor] can do the job. I will work with him.

“It’s sad and happy. I’ve been here 27 years. It’s been a good part of my life. I don’t like to admit it, but I’m going to be 60 years old. It’s time to give back to my family. I will work with Leo if he needs me. I live here. I’m gonna live here.”

Menard announced her retirement March 7 at the end of a week in which Police Chief Michael Houle and Deputy Chief Richard Dubois announced their retirements after allegations of test fixing. She will leave at the beginning of June.

Menard says her son, who lives in Utah, will be deployed to Iraq for a year on June 27. About a month before he leaves his second child will be born. Menard wants to help out her daughter-in-law with her 3-year-old and her new baby. She wants to spend time with her son, who is supposed to retire after this tour of duty when he fulfills 20 years of military service. He is a major in the Air Force.

But right now she is in the middle of working on a budget for the city and she wants to see it through and present it in May. Last night she announced that $900,000 in proposed state funding cuts that the city is facing will be offset by $850,000 in additional revenues to the city and savings from a hiring freeze and a freeze on other expenses.

She thanked the veterans and the elderly who have consistently supported her. She said she hoped that the city would continue summer programs like music in the park and the beautification program in the city. “These are elements people want to see when they are making a decision to move here,” Menard said.

She thanked her staff, especially longtime employees such as Michael Annarummo, director of administration, Joel Matthews, director of development, who has worked in the city for 37 years, and Robert Strom, the finance director.

“I am proud of the things we accomplished. We built two schools, a public works facility, we spent $22 million in waste-water improvements,” Menard said.

“Many of you have been with us for years. …You are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. I’ve been surrounded by excellent people,” she said.

She said Fontaine, who has 12 years on the council, is taking over with the years of experience that she had on the council when she took over as mayor.

She said that it’s important that the mayor have the resources needed for expenses. She said she spent $10,000 to $15,000 from her campaign account to offset the mayor’s budget travels and other expenses.

“It’s been a great ride. It’s been like a roller coaster. I’m tired. I think I’ve been the only woman mayor in the state. It hasn’t always been the easiest thing. I’m looking forward to retiring,” she said after her talk.

tpina@projo.com