Susan Istenes, director of the City of Springfield’s Planning and Development Department, resigned from her position Tuesday afternoon, effective immediately, officials confirmed this afternoon.
The department is temporarily headed by Brendan Griesemer, who had served as assistant director and is now listed on the department’s website as interim director.
Cora Scott, the city’s director of public information and civic engagement, said Griesemer has worked in that department for a long time.
“We don’t expect any disruption,” he said.
No reason was given for Istenes’ resignation, and Scott noted that the city does not comment on employment matters.
Reached via Facebook, Istenes described the issue as a private matter between her and the city, and declined to comment further.
Istenes came to Springfield in January 2022 from the City of Clayton, where she had served as Director of Planning and Development since 2010. She holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech.
The Department of Planning and Development is working to plan for the city’s orderly growth by adhering to its comprehensive plan, Forward SGF, adopted in November 2022, according to its website.
This is Griesemer’s second time serving as interim director of Planning and Development. She took on the role after former director Mary Lilly Smith retired in 2021.
KSMU he was the first to report the departure of Istenes from the city.
