Lighthall on the move

Carol Lighthall, who has helped guide Springfield On The Move, the town's downtown group for the past seven years, is leaving for a job in Barre.

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Published August 28, 2016 in the Rutland Herald Lighthall to leave Springfield On The Move By SUSAN SMALLHEER SPRINGFIELD — Carol Lighthall, who has helped guide Springfield On The Move, the town’s downtown group for the past seven years, is leaving for a job in Barre. Lighthall is the new executive director of Community Capital of Vermont, a statewide alternative lender. Lighthall, a resident of Baltimore, said the nonprofit Community Capital helps finance low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs on a statewide basis. “It’s a really successful, good group,” said Lighthall, who has been on the board of directors of Community Capital for the past couple of years. She replaces Martin Hahn, who left the organization this summer to be housing director with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. The organization was founded in 1995, and was spun off from the former Central Vermont Community Action, which is now called Capstone, said Leah Wilhjelm, a loan administrator with Community Capital. The group is a 501(c)(3) organization and handles revolving loan funds for towns from Barre to Chester. “They do a lot of work in the downtowns of the state, small business and micro loans. I’ve been on the board for two years and I’ve gotten to know the board and staff,” said Lighthall. Lighthall said her last days with Springfield On the Move would be in the middle of September, but she has pledged to help the local volunteer group with the transition. The executive director’s job with SOM is part time, 20 hours a week, and is financed partially by the town of Springfield and partially with grants and donations. “I think Springfield will miss Carol,” said Springfield Town Manager Tom Yennerell, who has been working closely with the group on the town’s downtown revitalization strategies. “She is a dedicated, hard worker. She had all the skills needed plus a terrific network of associates and acquaintances and all that is going to be hard to replace, especially in a part-time employee,” said Yennerell. “She used to work a lot more extra hours than the 20 she was paid for,” he said. Tom Hernon, the new chairman of the SOM board, said the group wished Lighthall well. “We appreciate everything she did for us during her tenure here. She had a good opportunity to go to another organization, a full-time job with benefits and it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up,” said Hernon, who is one of the owners of HB Energy Solutions of Springfield. Lighthall said she was renting an apartment in Barre, but would maintain her home, a small farm, in Baltimore. “We’re keeping that,” she said. Hernon said Lighthall would be replaced and for the time being, the job would continue to be part time. “There’s some discussion about expanding the position somewhat, but that’s still under discussion,” he said. He said there were several projects that Lighthall had been working on. “She’s going to bring us up to speed where we stand on those projects,” Hernon said. http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20160828/NEWS02/160829587