Manager Leaves Job Nov. 3;

New Hire Will Take 2 Months

By M. D. Drysdale

Town Manager Rick Schnaedter attended his final regular selectboard meeting Tuesday evening as board members prepared for an interim period while they screen applications for his job.

The selectboard decided in August not to reappoint Schnaedter, who has been manager for three years. His last day on the job is Nov. 3.

Selectboard Chair Jim Hutchinson thanked Schnaedter "on behalf of the board and the staff" for his work. He said his tenure has been "very pleasant and productive" and wished him well in the future.

Schnaedter quietly acknowledged the compliment.

Later, the board appointed Public Works Supt. Joe Voci to the special position of "assistant to the town manager" during the interim period. This means that questions normally routed to the town manager will go to Voci first, until an interim manager is hired, Hutchinson explained.

He was given the same role in the transition from Mel Adams to Schnaedter three years ago, it was noted.

Despite more than three months of prior notice, a new manager is still a couple of months away, the chairman noted. Recruitment is being handled by the Vermont League of Cities & Towns, and tomorrow is the last day for resumes.

The board will screen all the resumes and will schedule initial interviews with six to ten candidates late in November. Two to four of them will return for second interviews.

The goal is to find a manager who can start in January, Hutchinson said.

Groundwater Mapping

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the board agreed to send a "letter of support" for a process to map groundwater in Randolph. The maps would identify sensitive areas and would also show where wells might be drilled.

Explaining the proposition were Selectman Stephen Springer and Hugo Liepmann, both members of Water First, which has been advocating water mapping. The organization asked Randolph voters to appropriate $6000 for it at Town Meeting, but the item "went down in flames," Springer noted.

The state is now in the process of applying for more funds to accelerate groundwater mapping statewide. The letter requested by Springer and Liepmann would declare that the town supports the funding. The letter, Liepmann explained, "gives Water First more credibility."

The board agreed to send the letter, but members were a bit uncomfortable with it. Hutchinson included a stipulation that the town's support "would not obligate us" to spend any money. Dawn Butterfield wanted it noted that the information gathered "should be used for good—not to inhibit responsible growth."

Ancient Roads

The board approved a grant application, written by Springer, for $4950 from the state to help prepare maps of all old roads in town, so that old rights-of-way are acknowledged under a new "Ancient Roads" bill passed by the 2006 legislature.

Whether or not the town will get the grant is uncertain, since the legislature appropriated only $100,000 statewide for the planning.

Recreation Fees

Butterfield, who is the board's liaison with the Recreation Committee, said that group is trying to come up with a fee schedule for private use of the town's recreation facilities—but only when the town isn't using them.

She also said her committee would like to know more about the property owned by the Town of Randolph in Bethel which has been used as a Boy Scout camp.

"We own property in Bethel?" asked Springer incredulously. "We pay taxes in Bethel?"

As it turned out, both board members Hutchinson and Larry Townsend had themselves attended camp sessions at the property, which is in Bethel Gilead. Nobody knew just how much land the town owns, though, and they'll check it out.

Butterfield also read a persuasive 250-word essay she wrote (for the skating rink) as an application for one of the $15,000 grants that the Hamburger Helper people are putting out.

Animal Control

Finally, the board agreed to advertise for a deputy animal control officer. The current officer works days and sometimes cannot respond.

Townsend was pessimistic. "Who would want this job?" he said.