For more than two decades, Town Administrator Carl Parmer served the interests of Harrisburg, a position of responsibility that he was proud to hold for so long
While the last several months of his career will likely leave a bad taste in the mouths of those who thought the most of him, Harrisburg Town Administrator Carl Parmer would rather remember what he accomplished during his tenure than how it ended.
Parmer, whose contract was bought out on a vote by the town council earlier this year, will finish more than 20 years of service to the town early next week, at which time he will focus his attention on an engineering business he owns with his son.
Looking back on his years with the town, Parmer remembered fondly the people he worked with and a few of the many accomplishments they shared.
He remembered fighting DOT to keep north/south roads open through Harrisburg when transportation officials wanted to close them to allow for a high-speed commuter train to operate through the town.
He remembered negotiating contracts – or upholding the terms of existing contracts – when the city of Concord took control of water lines from the county that supplied Harrisburg and wanted to negotiate rates higher than those Harrisburg had previously paid.
He remembered the 1993 campaign slogan “Seven,” which he and seven candidates running for town council used during his first run for mayor, a successful campaign that would be the first of four terms he would serve in that role.
He also remembered working with staff year after year creating and fine-tuning the town’s budgets, always eager to stretch every dollar.
After more than two decades of service to the community, Parmer leaves his post content with the progress that the town has seen, and keenly aware of the fact that none of that progress was his doing alone.
He would likely tell you that it was the people he worked with that was his greatest achievement — people who, over the years, shared his passion for
Harrisburg.
Jonathan E. Coleman
Editor