On Sept. 23, the town of Middlebury welcomed back a familiar face to take over as the interim town manager.
Tom Hanley — who retired in February 2024 from his 32 years in service to the Middlebury Police Department as police chief — took over the chief executive officer position after former Town Manager Kathleen Ramsey stepped down after serving for 12 years. Ramsey will move on to serve as the municipal operations specialist for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), which helps those affected by flooding recover.
In an interview with The Campus, Hanley expressed that he is honored to have been appointed to the position.
“I have lived here for 33, 34 years, and I love it here,” Hanley said. “When they asked me to come out of retirement to serve in this position, I was happy to do it.”
Hanley has had a substantial career. He served as the detective sergeant for the police department in Wallingford, Conn. beginning in 1974 before moving to Middlebury in 1991 to work for the Middlebury Police Department. He added that during his time as police chief, he has maintained a great relationship with the college, something he hopes to maintain in his role as interim town manager.
“We have done a lot for students,” Hanley said. “Whether it be filming a movie, or doing research, we were always able to, as a department, be able to provide them with what they needed. We have valued our relationship with the college and we still do.”
The town manager is responsible for governing over multiple town departments and signing off on planning decisions within the town, concerning departments including the police, fire, planning, parks, finance, water and wastewater.
The person in this central role is often seen as the public face of the town, frequently attending local events in lieu of a mayoral figure. They are responsible for engaging with residents, listening to their concerns and identifying key issues to present at selectboard meetings. The Selectboard serves as the town's legislative body and consists of elected members from around the community.
In an email to The Campus, Selectboard Member Andy Hooper explained the purpose of the board as opposed to the town manager role.
“We are the elected leaders who appoint the residents to the required (planning commission, development review board) and optional (energy committee, etc.) groups within the town government. We approve grants and project priorities (which are generally set by, in this case, the infrastructure committee), and we are one of the main contact points for the public with the town,” Hooper wrote.
The Selectboard is also responsible for appointing the next permanent town manager. The process is rather long, beginning with a selection of potential candidates listed by Ramsey prior to her vacating the position. The candidates are then vetted out by the Personnel Committee on the Selectboard until the entirety of the board comes together for the final round of interviews.
“Candidates presented on a topic of their choice and their views of the largest issues facing Middlebury and what the options and best solutions were,” Hooper wrote. “The overall goal for the select board is to make sure that we have continuity in excellent leadership that earns/keeps the trust of the town residents, the town employees and the select board.”
The town can expect an announcement of the new town manager within the next week, according to Hooper, with the goal of having them start their role by the next year. Hanley will serve as interim town manager until the new permanent manager begins.
A top priority for Hanley, as well as for the future town manager, will be addressing the housing crisis, given the shortage in Middlebury and across Vermont. Housing was the central theme of this year's Clifford Symposium at the college.
“Our major employers [the college, hospital, public schools, etc.] can’t attract necessary employees because there is so little housing available, and what there is is so expensive,” Hooper wrote. “There are a lot of people who commute from New York state to jobs in Middlebury, and it would be better for them (and for the planet) if we could provide affordable housing and allow them to live closer to their work.”
Another major issue that will be important for the town manager to address is the aging infrastructure of the town and the necessary costs that will go into making repairs.
“We have many infrastructure issues,” Hanley said. “We have a wastewater treatment that needs about $50,000,000 worth of upgrades and a water treatment plant that also needs some substantial upgrades.”
Despite the issues that will demand the attention of the interim town manager and eventual full-time hire, Hanley is grateful to serve for his community once again as the new town manager settles in.
“Middlebury is a wonderful place,” Hanley said. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
Mandy Berghela '26 (she/her) is a Senior Local Editor.
Mandy previously served as a local editor and staff writer. She is a Political Science major with a History minor. Mandy serves as co-president for Southeast Asian Society (SEAS), a member on the Judicial Board, and an intern for the Conflict Transformation Collaborative. In her free time, she enjoys cycling and reading fantasy novels.
