At its October 7 meeting, the Upper Delaware Council received a letter of resignation from Shannon Cilento, its Resources and Land Use Specialist. Cilento, who came to the UDC in 2020 from the Sullivan County Division of Planning, was responsible for providing assistance to the UDC’s member towns and municipalities on conservation matters, for administering the Technical Assistance Grant program and for conducting the council’s substantial performance reviews.

It hadn’t been her intention to leave, said Cilento, but she had been recruited for an opportunity somewhere else.

UDC staff, members and partners expressed their regrets at losing Cilento and their gratitude for the work she had accomplished with the organization.

“We are deeply regretful… that we only had Shannon with us for 15 months,” said UDC Executive Director Laurie Ramie. “But they were 15 good months, and she has set a really great foundation for the Resources and Land Use Specialist position.”

“We will miss her greatly, but we know that she is destined for great things,” Ramie added.

National Park Service Superintendent Joe Salvatore thanked Cilento for her guidance and her support. “Thank you so much Shannon,” said Salvatore. “We’re definitely going to miss you as part of this council—I personally am going to be uncomfortable imagining somebody else reviewing the projects besides you.”

“Shannon going to the towns and townships was huge,” said UDC Secretary Ashley Hall-Bagdonas. Letting municipalities put a face to the position and conducting education and outreach about the UDC has been a major boon.

“Working with you on land use complaints, irate neighbors and everything, you handled it so well,” said Susan Sullivan, Town of Tusten representative for the UDC; Cilento’s presence calmed people, and gave them trust that their concerns were heard and were being managed.

“I really appreciated working with you during the time that you were with us,” said Jim Grier, Town of Fremont representative for the UDC. “You brought new techniques and new procedures with you that made this council grow.”

“You very skillfully mended some fences that this council was not able to do,” he added. “I hope that your future endeavors are as fruitful as this one.”