Latest Posts & Updates
News, project updates, municipal resources, ideas, and practical perspectives from Rethink Local’s work with communities across Vermont, New Hampshire, and beyond.
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Rethink Local helps Waterville Valley New Hampshire fill multiple critical wastewater utility positions
After successfully completing the Town Manager search for Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, the Select Board asked us to come back and help with the next hiring priority: multiple vacancies in the utility/wastewater department. What did we do to help? Hiring qualified water and wastewater operators has become a significant challenge for communities across the country, and the problem can be...
Build engaged volunteers, committees, and boards in your town
Do you wish you had more volunteers? Do you have persistent board and committee vacancies? Do you have big issues to be voted on at Town Meeting but unsure people in the community are educated about the issues? In this episode of the RETHINK LOCAL podcast I talk with Nate Bernitz, who is a community and economic development field specialist...
Hartford, Vermont seeks a new Town Manager
As Hartford’s next Town Manager, you’ll be stepping into a role where decisions have real impact: on regional housing, economic development, infrastructure, and the daily experience of a community that blends working downtown energy with immediate access to trails, rivers, and mountains. What You’ll Actually Get To Do Run a complex system that still values human scale. Hartford operates like...
Rethink Local’s contract for Hartford’s Town Manager search makes the Valley News
The Valley News this morning as the lead story in their morning email digest reported on Hartford, Vermont Selectboard's contracting with Alex Torpey of Rethink Local to facilitate the search for their new Town Manager. Hartford interviewed three organizations - Rethink Local, Vermont League of Cities and Towns, and Municipal Resources, Inc - and ultimately selected Rethink Local. The Valley...
Rethink Local and Alex featured in VTDigger article about public records
"Corporate access to records isn’t a bad thing, Torpey argued — but “I’m just not sure that these taxpayers in each town should be the ones footing the bill for it.” This recent VT Digger article spotlights an issue that exists in towns across the country - companies filing large public record requests, records they use to sell and as...
Alex Torpey’s work as Interim Manager in Rockingham and Bellows Falls Vermont spotlighted by the Brattleboro Reformer
Rethink Local was recently contracted by the Boards of the Town of Rockingham and the Village of Bellows Falls in Vermont to provide Interim Municipal Manager services on a part-time three-month contract. During the interim period, the primary goals are straightforward: make sure the day-to-day work of the town continues smoothly, support staff so they can do their jobs effectively,...
Rethink Local hired to do Town Manager search for Waterville Valley, New Hampshire
Rethink Local was hired by the Town of Waterville Valley, New Hampshire to drive the recruitment for their new Town Manager. Through a three-month transparent, flat rate contract, Rethink Local will solicit feedback about the needs and goals for a new Town Manager, build a profile and recruitment website, screen candidates, guide and support a three-stage interview process, complete a...
Via Rethink Local, Alex appointed Interim Manager for Rockingham and Bellows Falls, Vermont
The Rockingham Selectboard and Bellows Falls Trustees unanimously approved a three day per week three-month contract with Rethink Local for Alex Torpey to serve as Municipal Manager. The prior manager, Scott Pickup, who spent more than five years in the community was hired by Springfield, Vermont. During this time, VLCT will be doing the search for the new Manager. Alex...
Rethink Local’s recruitments featured at the Vermont Re-imagining Rural Summit
Last week, stakeholders from across Vermont gathered to work together on ways to support rural resiliency and planning efforts around the state aimed at addressing housing shortages, affordability, regional collaboration, climate resilience, and more. I was there both in general and in my capacity under contract with the Town of Randolph for planning and zoning services. It was great to...
Congrats to New Boston’s New Town Administrator
Rethink Local was hired to not just run the search for a new Town Administrator, but also to provide consultative services during the interim period, holding weekly meetings, reviewing policies, and providing feedback on a range of issues. More from the Town of New Boston below. Congrats to Kathie Vieira and the whole admin team! Town of New Boston Press...
Congrats to Westford VT’s new Town Administrator
We congratulate Tommy O'Connor, Westford, VT's new Town Administrator. From the Town below: Town of Westford Press Release - For Immediate Release - August 15th 2025 For Additional Information Contact: Casey Mathieu, Selectboard Chair casey.Mathieu@westfordvt.us Westford Hires Tommy O’Connor as Town Administrator The Selectboard voted unanimously in last night’s meeting to hire Tommy O’Connor as Westford’s new Town Administrator. Tommy...