RANDOLPH — The selectboard has hired a new town manager.
Ron Redmond, currently the city manager for Vergennes, Vt., is expected to start his new role “sometime in the latter half of October,” Randolph Selectboard Chair Larry Satcowitz said Monday in a phone interview.
“I’m drawn to Randolph’s downtown, its vibrant cultural life, and rural character,” Redmond wrote in an email Tuesday. “This is an opportunity to bring my experience to Randolph and work with the Selectboard, town staff, and residents on decisions that make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Redmond, who’s 70, was the longtime executive director of Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace. He will replace Trevor Lashua, who left in early June to become Windsor’s town manager.
In May, the selectboard hired Tom Yennerell as interim town manager. Yennerell, who had previous stints as interim town manager in Thetford and Woodstock, will remain with the town until Redmond starts, Satcowitz said.
The town has signed a three-year contract with Redmond; he will make $135,000 per year, Satcowitz said.
Instead of the town’s health insurance policy, Redmond will receive $5,000. “Health insurance is expensive. It’s a lot more than $5,000,” Satcowitz said.
The selectboard worked with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and started a Town Manager Search Committee to find Lashua’s replacement. Town officials ultimately interviewed three finalists for the role, Satcowitz said. Redmond stood out.
“He just had the right combination of experience and skills that we were looking for,” Satcowitz said, noting the five years Redmond has spent in Vergennes. “He’s used to working within the confines of the laws that govern municipalities in Vermont.”
Vergennes and Randolph are similar, Satcowitz said, in that the two communities have downtown centers, as well as department structures, including police.
“In the past it’s been very hard to find good people,” Satcowitz, who has participated in three town manager searches during his 10 years on the selectboard, said. “I think we really hit the jackpot with Ron Redmond.”
“My first priority will be getting to know the people, understanding the work already underway, and listening to what residents value about their town and where they see opportunities to improve,” Redmond wrote. “I want to be a manager people know, feel comfortable approaching, and can count on to follow through.”
