WOODSTOCK – The Woodstock Selectboard and Village Board of Trustees voted this week to update the contract of Municipal Manager Eric Duffy, though the details have not been publicly disclosed.
The vote in support of Duffy, who began his tenure in February 2023, came after discussions between the boards “about the significant progress made during his tenure as well as an outpouring of support from staff and the community,” a Woodstock news release stated.
“I was very grateful for the boards’ willingness to continue to work with me,” Duffy said. “And there’s strong support behind me.”
The updated terms of Duffy’s contract, which was signed in 2022 for an indefinite period of time with an annual salary of $130,000 per year, have not yet been released.
Ray Bourgeois, chairman of the Woodstock Selectboard, and Seton McIlroy, chairwoman of the Village Board of Trustees, said they are unable to discuss the details of the updated terms because the contract still is being reviewed by attorneys.
“July 1st is when changes (in Duffy’s contract) we discussed go into effect,” Bourgeois said. “I don’t feel comfortable discussing the contract (at this time) until we have it back from the attorneys.”
According to McIlroy, Duffy had received cost-of-living adjustments every year since starting in his role as municipal manager.
“We have it written in his contract that he can actually receive a higher COLA than everybody else, but he has never taken a higher COLA than the rest of the team,” said McIlroy.
Additionally, in the past two years, Duffy received a $10,000 dollar bonus.
Both McIlroy and Bourgeois said the updated contract is a reflection of the confidence the elected officials have in Duffy’s leadership.
During his time as Woodstock Municipal Manager, Duffy has helped lead the recovery from flooding in July 2023, including overseeing the town’s purchase of the private water system that serves much of the town..
Duffy, who prior to serving in Woodstock worked as the town accountant in Stoneham, Mass., said is looking ahead to more initiatives on the horizon.
“We have a wastewater plant renovation that’s gonna be voted on a town meeting in March,” Duffy said. “So that’s a $30 million-plus project that we’re working on. It’s going to allow us to kind of continue to develop Woodstock a little more.”
Stability was another consideration in updating Duffy’s contract, McIlroy said.
“If we can maintain that stability and that continuity for the community so they know what’s coming in the next couple years, I think that’s really important,” she said.
The Valley News reported earlier this month that Duffy had been a finalist for both city manager of Montpelier and town manager in Winchester, Mass. Shortly before the update in his contract on Monday, Duffy withdrew from consideration for both positions.
“He told us he was applying,” Bourgeois said. “There’s nothing in his contract that says he cannot apply for other positions.”
“I was surprised but not surprised,” Bourgeois said of Duffy interviewing for other jobs. “There’s a lot of bad publicity going around about him.”
Duffy is currently being sued by former Woodstock Police Chief Joe Swanson after Duffy and the Village Board of Trustees demoted him. The demotion was overturned by a judge, who said the town failed to follow the proper legal process to remove a police chief from his post.
Swanson was put on leave after the judges ruling and Duffy and officials now must decide how to proceed. Duffy, the Woodstock Selectboard and the Village Trustees all declined this week to discuss the Swanson situation.
McIlroy said she was “proud” that the boards wanted him to stay.
“We certainly did not want him to leave,” she said.
Duffy credited the “overwhelming support” from the community and staff for his decision to remain Municipal Manager.
“I saw someone over the weekend and they said me staying was the best Christmas gift they could get,” Duffy said.