Thetford Town Manager takes job in Hartford

Thetford Town Manager Bryan Gazda announced to Town employees on Tuesday that he would be leaving his position in 90 days to take a position as Director of the Department of Public Works for the Town of Hartford, VT. Gazda was hired in 2021 with a 3-year employment contract.

Gazda provided this comment to Sidenote via email:

Thank you. It was a very hard decision to leave Thetford. I want to thank town residents for the exceptionally warm welcome I received when I started two years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as town manager. Collectively, I feel town government has accomplished a lot these past two years, with the completion of two major road reconstruction projects, the revitalization of Treasure Island, initial study on gender equity wage, and the continued positive movement to the town manager form of government. I wish all the best for the town and offer any assistance I can provide to the Selectboard during the search for a new town manager.

The announcement was made one day after the filing deadline to run for Selectboard. Two seats are up for election, a 3-year seat currently occupied by Steve Tofel, and a 2-year seat currently occupied by Sharon Harkey. Tofel has filed to run for the 2-year seat while Harkey will run for the 3-seat, both uncontested.

The Selectboard will be tasked with finding a new town manager. If a town manager cannot be placed before Gazda’s departure, the town’s form of governance reverts de facto to a Selectboard-style form of governance until the office of Town Manager is filled.