There is an update on the status of Planning Director Nicholas Cracknell.

It looks like Nick Cracknell will be staying on for another three months. The “trial period” is now being referred to as the “holdover period,” and it looks like the City’s union is working on the contract clarification with the administration for Mr. Cracknell. However, as of this morning, 6 days after Nicholas Cracknell’s contract had expired, nothing had yet been finalized.

It sounds like Mr. Cracknell would very much like to stay on permanently as Newbuyrport’s Planning Director. All the support for him has certainly been a factor in his willingness to stay for this “holdover period,” even though the administration, shall we say, is ambivalent.

I would encourage people to keep contacting Mayor John Moak and continue to urge him to take the long view and keep Nicholas Cracknell on as Planning Director. (As someone said to me as I was explaining that it looked like Newburyport’s Mayor John Moak was planning to let Mr. Cracknell go, “what are they, crazy!”)

Mayor John Moak can be reached at 978-465-4413. His email address is mayor@cityofnewburyport.com. You can also write Mayor Moak at Newburyport City Hall, Newburyport, Massachusetts, 01950.

Letters to the Editor at the Newburyport Daily News are also a very effective way to let the administration know how important Nicholas Cracknell is to the future of historic Newburyport. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to Merrily Bucks at mbuchs@ecnnews.com. And there have been a number of letters of support in the Newburyport Daily News for Mr. Cracknell already. I would urge people keep on writing them.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport