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Town Planner Alex Eitler has tendered his resignation and will leave his position Dec. 12, Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer told the Select Board on Wednesday night.
Kezer said Eitler’s departure was “a life decision” driven by a desire to be with his partner in England. He noted Eitler has been with Marblehead “for a good part of a year.”
Eitler joined Marblehead in September 2024 as the first planner under the town’s newly created Community Development and Planning Department. His hiring followed the retirement of longtime planner Rebecca Curran Cutting and marked a shift toward what Kezer has described as a more modern structure that brings long-range planning, sustainability, coastal resilience and permitting together under one department.
In his tenure, Eitler met with multiple departments, began early groundwork for a comprehensive plan and worked closely with Kezer on day-to-day planning needs. He brought a background in urban planning, climate research and coastal management, with experience in Virginia, Washington, D.C. and London.
He previously said he was drawn to Marblehead’s coastline and saw the town as a place where he could apply his training in flood mitigation, climate adaptation and sustainable development.
His resignation leaves Marblehead without a full-time planner at a moment when the town faces several major planning challenges, including MBTA Communities zoning compliance, coastal resilience and long-term capital and land-use priorities expected to be addressed through a comprehensive plan.
Marblehead is still in the early stages of developing that plan, a long-range document intended to guide land use, housing, transportation, coastal resilience, capital investments and community priorities for the next 10 to 20 years.
Kezer did not discuss next steps Wednesday but said the town would move quickly to evaluate how to fill the vacancy. During the meeting, Select Board member Jim Zisson urged caution about rushing to rehire.
“We need to be very careful about filling [it],” Zisson said. “It’s just something we want to think about.“
