Springfield’s hire formerly managed West Rutland

A former town manager from West Rutland — as well as towns in New Hampshire and Colorado — is Springfield’s new town manager.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20141014/NEWS02/710149916

Published October 14, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Springfield’s hire formerly managed West Rutland By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — A former town manager from West Rutland — as well as towns in New Hampshire and Colorado — is Springfield’s new town manager. Thomas Yennerell, 61, of Lebanon, N.H., was the unanimous choice of the Springfield Select Board, which met in special session at noon Monday to vote publicly on his appointment. Yennerell is currently the town administrator in Henniker, N.H., a post he has held since January 2013. Prior to the New Hampshire job, he was the town administrator in Mancos, Colo., for five years. He served West Rutland two different times, the last ending in 2007. Yennerell, who did not attend the press conference, will be paid $92,000, and start the job Nov. 17, according to Select Board Chairman Kristi Morris. Yennerell was the top choice among 50 candidates for the job. Longtime Town Manager Robert Forguites, who is retiring after 20 years of service as town manager and finance director, will work with Yennerell for several weeks before beginning his retirement, Morris said. Yennerell will sign a two-year contract, with a one-year renewal clause. All five Select Board members praised Yennerell as a good fit for Springfield, and someone who had “done his homework” about the issues and problems facing Springfield. Select Board members George McNaughton and David Yesman, who are often on opposite sides of an issue, agreed that Yennerell was a great choice. Yesman made the motion to hire Yennerell and cited his “skills, knowledge and experience” as the reasons to bring him to Springfield. McNaughton said he was impressed that Yennerell had researched Springfield and was up to date on the issues facing the town of 9,400, which has made headlines in recent years, mostly about illegal drug and gang activity. McNaughton said Yennerell was also well-versed in budget and economic development matters. Yennerell, in a telephone interview later in the day, said he spent the Columbus Day holiday looking for a new home in Springfield. “I think Springfield’s just a good solid community. Springfield has created a really good base with all the work that has been done in recent years to build from. And it’s also in Vermont,” said Yennerell, who first moved to Vermont in 1981 when he bought the Pittsfield Inn. “I’m looking forward to working there, and making some improvements for the townspeople.” “My first impression of Springfield was there was a lot of good activity there. I spoke to a lot of folks that don’t work for the town, but may work for agencies that collaborate with the town. I was really impressed about what they had been doing and their vision for the town. I decided I wanted to be part of that,” said Yennerell, who was one of two finalists who were given a tour of the town by Forguites. In order to maintain the applicants’ confidentiality, Yennerell was introduced to town employees by the number assigned his resume by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns — No. 41. Yennerell said that his current town of Henniker, N.H., was home to New England College, and that drugs were an issue in that town as well, although gang activity was not present. Morris said that Yennerell had left Vermont about seven years ago because he’d always had a yen to work out West, but missed Vermont and New England, and returned in 2013. In leaving Henniker, N.H., he leaves a small college town, population 4,800, with a $5.5 million town budget and 33 full-time and 20 part-time employees. Springfield’s municipal budget is double the Henniker, N.H., budget and it has close to 90 employees. Yennerell, who has a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., was town manager in West Rutland two different times, most recently leaving in 2007. Between his two stints in West Rutland, he owned and ran the Pittsfield Inn, as well as an outdoor adventure touring company, Escape Routes. While a resident of Pittsfield, he served on the Select Board for six years, and also was chairman of the Planning Commission. In 2001, he was named the executive director of Vermont Mountain Bike Advocates, at the time describing himself as an avid mountain biker. He is a native of southwestern Pennsylvania and grew up in Greensburg, Pa. He left Pennsylvania in 1981 to buy the Pittsfield Inn. While Monday’s vote was the formal vote to hire him, Morris said the Select Board had been actively negotiating with him since Oct. 2. Henniker, N.H., had posted his job vacancy Oct. 10, and Yennerell said he had given his notice last week. According to the town charter, the manager must live in the town. He is expected to move to town within six months if not sooner.