Wanted: A new economic development director for Waterbury

December 18, 2020  |  By Lisa Scagliotti 

Alyssa Johnson addresses the Waterbury Select Board at a recent meeting. Screenshot.

In a year when economic development has focused on economic survival, Waterbury now is in search of a new economic development director. 

Alyssa Johnson, who held the position for the past three years, recently resigned to take a new post in January with the Vermont Council on Rural Development. 

Johnson’s last day was Dec. 4. The Waterbury Select Board meeting earlier that week was the final one she attended. Board members and town planning officials in attendance thanked and praised her for her work. 

It was no small irony that on the agenda that night was a discussion of the ongoing update to municipal development regulations that’s been in progress since she started her job in June 2017. Johnson commented on the progress to date and encouraged planners to see the task through. 

This year, Johnson’s work largely focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on local businesses. She was immersed in coordinating communications such as emails and regular conference calls for business owners and employers in Waterbury along with her counterparts in Stowe. Since March each week she worked with business owners to navigate public health protocols along with the myriad of government responses affecting businesses such as emergency loans and grants and advice about unemployment compensation for workers. 

Johnson’s position has had her a regular face at the table for many local government meetings that affect businesses around issues of new development, Main Street construction, and recently, the pandemic’s fallout. 

In announcing Johnson’s departure, RW Executive Director Karen Nevin noted Johnson’s work to leverage $152,000 in downtown tax credits for businesses; her efforts to get interim banner regulations adopted during the Main Street reconstruction period, and her involvement with various business expansions and relocations in Waterbury. 

“There is no doubt we will miss her, but we are excited for her new role supporting rural communities in the entire state of Vermont,” Nevin said of Johnson’s new job with the statewide rural economic development organization. 

While 2019 posed challenges to downtown businesses as the Main Street reconstruction project got underway, 2020 meant businesses had to navigate the construction disruption along with the shutdowns and drop in overall activity in commerce due to COVID-19. 

Next year looks to be starting with many of the same restrictions in place and state office workers still largely working from home and not traveling to and from Waterbury daily. However the arrival of vaccines brings the possibility of some economic recovery as the pandemic eases.  

The economic development director position in Waterbury is designed as a hybrid post paid for by the taxpayers and managed by Revitalizing Waterbury, the nonprofit economic development organization in town. 

The job description lists a salary of $40-42,000 depending on experience and individual is a full-time member of the RW staff. Under an agreement between the town and RW, the town pays just over $4,400 monthly to fund the position with the staffer reporting to the RW executive director.   

The economic development director works closely with town and state officials, community organizations, and both established and prospective business owners. Duties cover a range of issues from attracting new business to Waterbury, assisting existing businesses, and promoting commercial activity by those who live, work and visit the community. There also is a strong focus on the downtown as RW is a “Vermont designated downtown” organization. 

The past two years have meant a significant amount of work related to communications and helping businesses navigate the impacts of the Main Street reconstruction project in addition to the COVID-19 issues this year.    

Nevin is seeking applicants through Jan. 8. A detailed job description with application instructions is online on Revitalizing Waterbury’s website: revitalizingwaterbury.org/job-opportunities.