The deadline for Nick Cracknell’s departure was yesterday, January 31, 2006, unless he was willing to stay on for a “trial period.”

I called the Planning Office at 8:35 this morning and asked if our Planning Director had cleared out his office or was still there. And yes, as of this morning Nicholas Cracknell is still in Newburyport.

(I haven’t seen today’s Newburyport Daily News yet, so I have no idea if there is story on Mr. Cracknell or not.)

The outpouring of support for Mr. Cracknell has been overwhelming. Many people have echoed Mr. Shoul’s sentiments in today’s earlier post, “Nicholas Cracknell is absolutely necessary for Newburyport. Without him historic Newburyport will crumble.”

I am relieved that Mr. Cracknell is still with us. I can only hope that Mayor Moak will take a look a the “larger picture” in Linda Miller’s words, set aside differences and reappoint Nicholas Cracknell permanently as Newburyport’s Planning Director.

I also hope Mr. Cracknell knows how much so many of the people in Newbuyrport appreciate him. And from the emails and phone calls I’ve received, Nick Cracknell is not only appreciated by people in Newburyport, but also by people in the surrounding areas and across the state as well.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport