UVM Launches “Boot Camp” for Town Managersfull story >>>

Providing leadership, managing budgets and navigating the thicket of local and state regulations is just the beginning for town and city managers in Vermont. Town leaders are also facing novel challenges like coping with increasingly challenging climate and housing crises.

Thanks to funding from UVM's Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, current and aspiring town managers in the state are getting new training and support through the new Vermont Local Government Institute, an eight-course certificate program that is imparting tangible skills, best practices, and sound advice from instructors, many of whom are, or have been, town managers themselves.

The course was developed through a partnership with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), the Vermont Town and City Management Association (VTCMA), and UVM Professional and Continuing Education (PACE).

"The project demonstrates how the Leahy Institute builds collaborations between the university and local organizations that are tackling tough challenges," said Patricia Coates, Director of UVM's Leahy Institute, which provided $28,000 in support. "The Vermont League of Cities and Towns approached us with their interest in building a curriculum that fills in some of the knowledge gaps for town administrators, and PACE was the ideal university partner for them."

Eighteen professionals, many of them new and mid-career managers, assistant managers, or municipal department supervisors, enrolled the course for the Fall 2024 semester. The Leahy Institute grant covers the cost of tuition, and the associated administrative costs of running a certificate program.

This semester, students are taking courses covering the characteristics of effective leadership, human resources, and grant management. The courses use a combination of in-person, online, and self-directed learning, which accommodates a broad range of student needs, since participants in the program come from 14 different cities and towns across the state.

"The in-person element is very important for these professionals" said Maureen Hebert, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Employer Partnerships for PACE at UVM. "Working in a remote town office away from your peers can be isolating. By connecting, sharing, and learning together, the academic experience also creates in a built-in network they can rely on in the future."

Solutions for municipal challenges

Abby Friedman of the Vermont League of Cities and Towns helped develop the program. She sees the Vermont Local Government Institute as a filling a need to prepare new leaders and provide broader perspectives for sitting managers and administrators. "It's helpful to have training specific to the needs and operations of Vermont municipal government to build capacity in our towns and cities - especially in places where seasoned managers and administrators are retiring, and new people are coming into those roles."

Bill Fraser, who has served for three decades as city manager for Montpelier, is co-teaching one of the courses later this fall with Jessie Baker, city manager of South Burlington. The course provides a general overview of the function of municipal government and identifies emerging issues and other challenges that can impede effective municipal operations.

"I want to help newcomers to the profession feel like there are no dumb questions," Fraser said. "I appreciate being part of this program because it weaves in the perspectives of people who have been in the hot seat and understand the challenges of the job."

That's music to the ears of Brent Raymond, who had ten years of experience in the banking and finance industry before taking the job as Morristown's manager this spring.

"This program offers the opportunity to refine my skills, engage with public-sector professionals, and develop strategies to navigate the complexities of governance and better serve Morristown," he said.

The Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships funds project costs associated with engaged partnerships between organizations and the University of Vermont. Through this funding initiative, UVM joins as partners with Vermont leaders who are working towards impactful solutions to rural challenges in our priority focus. Learn more at https://www.uvm.edu/ruralpartnerships/grants