Ashland City Manager Steps Down After Nearly Two Years on the Job

The City of Ashland’s City Manager, Joseph L. Lessard, has officially departed from his position, effective Friday, October 27, 2023. Lessard had taken up the role on January 3, 2022, in line with the City’s adoption of the Council-Manager form of local government.

In a memo addressed to the Ashland City Council on October 23, 2023, Lessard expressed his pride in the accomplishments of the City organization and the collaboration between City staff and the Council in achieving these goals. He also emphasized the need for a period of organizational stability and an increased focus on internal operational improvements. In his words, “the organization needs to retrench its internal service capacities by adopting new operational approaches, particularly with the introduction of automation and modernized operational procedures.”

Lessard acknowledged that his skill set and strategic orientation may no longer be the best fit for Ashland’s evolving needs and suggested a joint discussion with the Council regarding a possible transition in City Management.

The Ashland City Council held two Special Meetings on the evening of October 27 to address this matter. The first, an Executive Session at 6 p.m., was dedicated to reviewing Mr. Lessard’s proposed resignation terms. This was followed by a Business Meeting at 6:45 p.m., during which the City Council unanimously voted to accept these terms. Per the agreement, Mr. Lessard will be on paid leave through January 31, 2024, after which he will receive a 4-month severance payment.

Ashland Mayor Tonya Graham expressed appreciation for Mr. Lessard’s contributions, noting his focus on organizational systems and strategic planning. Under Lessard’s leadership, the City successfully transitioned to the Council-Manager form of government and identified and initiated the highest priorities of the Ashland community. However, Mayor Graham emphasized that the time has come to transition to management-focused leadership for the next phase of serving the people of Ashland.

Mr. Lessard’s departure marks a significant change for the City of Ashland, and the search for a new City Manager is expected to be a priority in the coming months as the City looks toward the future.