Takoma Park has hired former Rockville City Manager Robert DiSpirito as its new city manager, according to a press release from the city of Takoma Park. The City Council voted to confirm his appointment on Jan. 17.
DiSpirito resigned from his Rockville post on Aug. 17, 2023. He had been placed on a performance improvement plan in May 2023. The resignation came after the council held a closed session to discuss DiSpirito’s performance earlier in the day.
Takoma Park started its search for a new city manager in July 2023, following Jamal Fox’s resignation on Feb. 13, 2023. According to a statement from the city, Fox was hired in 2021 for a “specific and critical time of transition” for Takoma Park. Fox resigned shortly after a change in leadership. Mayor Talisha Searcy took the helm after former mayor Kate Stewart was elected to the Montgomery County Council to represent District 4. Stewart is currently the council vice president.
Fox’s resignation was controversial, with community members demanding more transparency from the city government about what had happened.
The news release said 58 people applied for the position during an open application period that ended in September 2023.
“Throughout the process, Mr. DiSpirito was a standout,” the release said. “He is a proven leader with knowledge of the challenges and opportunities we have in Montgomery County, 28 years of City Manager experience, and the vision necessary to move our city forward.”
In a phone call with MoCo360 in August, DiSpirito said he was unable to say much about his resignation from the city of Rockville but was “leaving to pursue another endeavor.”
DiSpirito had been placed on a three-month performance improvement plan by the mayor and council in May. While the plan and its reasoning were discussed privately in a closed session, the 4-1 vote was made publicly. Councilmember Mark Pierzchala was the sole member to vote against instating the plan.
“I don’t know how the sequence of events unrolled, but I’m not going to vote for it,” Pierzchala said before the vote. “I think things have moved past the point where a performance improvement plan is going to be effective.”
DiSpirito had served as Rockville city manager since January 2017. He received more than $300,000 in severance, according to a settlement. He was not immediately available for comment on his new role on Thursday.