Cave leaves economic post

Published 10:14 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Another high-ranking member of the Suffolk city administration is leaving the city.

Cynthia Cave, director of economic development, resigned Thursday, said Suffolk spokeswoman Debbie George. Kevin Hughes, economic development manager, will serve as acting director of economic development.

Cave had been with the city only seven months. Before coming to Suffolk, she was economic development director in Prince George County and Prince Edward County; prior to that, she was director of community and economic development for Southampton County.

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James H. Faulk, chairman of the Economic Development Authority, declined to comment on Cave’s departure when reached by phone Thursday, except to say that it was not forced.

“Certainly, it was her decision to leave,” Faulk said. “We just hate the fact that she left on us. We’re wishing her Godspeed.”

Cave is the latest in a string of high-ranking city administrators to leave the city or get fired in the past two years, from Assistant City Manager Cindy Rohlf to Cave’s predecessor, Tom O’Grady. Others have included City Assessor Maria Kattmann, Finance Director Christine Ledford, Downtown Coordinator Elizabeth McCoury and Plans and Policy Coordinator Jeryl Phillips.

Others, such as Director of Communications Dennis Craff, City Manager Jim Vacalis and Police Chief William Freeman, retired within the last two years.