BLC leadership shake-up still a mystery

Why did Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) Executive Director Ellen Lipsey leave office as part of a leadership shake-up in Mayor Martin Walsh’s new administration? The Mayor’s Office will only say that it will act quickly to find a replacement for her, and that the BLC will continue to play a crucial role.

Lipsey, a Jamaica Plain resident, was one of eight City managers who were either fired or resigned—the City calls it a “separation of employment”—last month. The Gazette attempted to contact Lipsey, but a number for her listed online was no longer in service.

The Gazette questioned the Mayor’s Office for more information about Lipsey’s removal and the future of the BLC.

Kate Norton, spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office, did not directly respond about Lipsey removal, but said, “Mayor Walsh remains committed to the protection and enhancement of Boston, as well as its environment. There are areas in our City that reflect distinctive features of our social, cultural and architectural history, and the mayor intends to preserve that very fabric of what makes Boston such a special place to live and visit.”

The Gazette also asked the Mayor’s Office about the search for a replacement for Lipsey and what criteria the administration will be looking at for the next executive director. Norton said, “The administration is moving forward quickly to ensure that an appropriate person is in place.”

The Gazette also reached out to the Boston Preservation Alliance (BPA), a nonprofit that advocates for historic preservation projects in the city, about the changes at the BLC. BPA Executive Director Greg Galer said in an email that the organization has a “long-standing working relationship” with the BLC and that “evolution is a natural part of city government.”

“We look forward to engaging future leadership of these agencies in our work to enhance this city’s important historic resources,” he said.

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