Each meeting in this Muni Mornings series is hosted by Kathleen Ramsay and enhanced by one or more guests who specialize in the month’s scheduled topic. The meeting begins with a brief overview of the topic, then Kathleen moderates a Q&A session where participants ask questions and share their successes and lessons learned in their own work.
More In This Series
- Thursday, June 26, 2025 – Highway Hiring
- Thursday, July 24, 2025 – Capital Budgeting
- Thursday, August 28, 2025 – Budgeting
- Thursday, October 23, 2025 – PACIF Policy Portal Tips
- Thursday, November 13, 2025 – Communication Tools
- Thursday, December 11, 2025 – Budgeting Roundtable
Host
Kathleen Ramsay, VLCT Municipal Operations Specialist
In this fifth session in the monthly series of Zoom meetings, host Kathleen Ramsay is joined by Larry Smith of VLCT and Crystal Grant of Middlebury Town. Kathleen, Larry, and Crystal review VLCT’s Hiring Toolkit, Commercial Motor Vehicle Operations Manual for Municipalities, and a new Highway/DPW Hiring Process Step-by-Step Guide.
- Recruiting
- Onboarding
- Team Building
- Retention
- Building the Pipeline for Future Staff
Presenters
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT
Resources
In this fourth session in the monthly series of Zoom meetings, host Kathleen Ramsay is joined by Julie McKenzie, PACIF’s Acting General Counsel. Kathleen and Julie’s presentation will:
- Review a new resource, Why Hiring a Town Administrator is Beneficial for a Selectboard.
- Outline how to determine whether hiring a Selectboard Assistant or Town Administrator is right for your town.
- Discuss the interplay of expectations, roles and responsibilities, job descriptions and compensation packages.
- Share VLCT resources for effective and compliant recruitment, hiring and onboarding practices. Resources include VLCT’s Hiring Toolkit, Job Description Toolkit and Compensation & Benefits Survey.
Kathleen and Julie will provide pro tips for finding and hiring qualified candidates and budgeting for the position.
Presenters:
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT
Julie McKenzie, Acting General Counsel, VLCT
Resources: Hiring Your Towns First Town Administrator or Administrative Assistant Presentation Slide Deck
Links
In this third session in the monthly series of Zoom meetings hosted by VLCT’s Municipal Operations Specialist Kathleen Ramsay. Kathleen is joined by Bonnie Waninger, VLCT Project & Funding Specialist, and Marguerite Ladd, Government Finance Specialist. Together they introduce and review two new tip sheets to help your town prepare for flooding events and other natural disasters – one for public works and public safety personnel and one for administrative staff – both designed to help you maximize reimbursement for damages.
In an information-filled half hour, we will start with a brief (5- to 10-minute) presentation, followed by an opportunity for attendees to share tips and advice of their own, and time to ask the panel questions.
Presenters:
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT
Bonnie Waninger, Project & Funding Specialist, VLCT
Marguerite Ladd, Government Finance Specialist, VLCT
Presentation: Preparing for Summer Storms - Slide Deck
Resources:
- FEMA Public Assistance Program Pocket Guide
- FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Pocket Guide
- What to do When a Major Storm is in the Forecast
- Disaster Response Documentation Tips
- Maximize Your Eligibility for Disaster Damage Repair Expense Funds
The second of a series of monthly Zoom meetings hosted by VLCT’s Municipal Operations Specialist Kathleen Ramsay and Jill Muhr, Senior Human Resources Consultant, VLCT PACIF, will review VLCT’s Hiring Toolkit and share new resources as they apply to hiring staff for summer recreation programs.
- Recruiting
- Onboarding
- Team Building
- Retention
- Building the Pipeline for Future Staff
For the rest of the hour, Kathleen will moderate a Q&A session and encourage participants to share successful hiring tips and tricks of their own!
Presenters:
Kathleen Ramsay, Municipal Operations Specialist, VLCT
Jill Muhr, Senior Human Resources Consultant, VLCT PACIF
Presentation: Hiring for Summer Rec Programs Slide Deck
Resources:
- Hiring for Summer Rec Programs that includes links for:
Muni Mornings with Kathleen: Selectboard Organization & Onboarding
In the first of a series of monthly Zoom meetings hosted by Kathleen Ramsay, Kathleen shares a slew of pro tips and tricks through these two new checklists designed to help your selectboard get off to a great start for its new year:
- Preparing for the Selectboard’s Annual Organizational Meeting
- The Selectboard Resources Compendium
- Onboarding New Selectboard Members
- Selectboard Retreat Ideas
The rest of the hour, Kathleen moderates a Q&A session and where participants share successful tips and tricks of their own! Garrett Baxter from VLCT’s Municipal Assistance Center is Kathleen’s guest and helps answer questions.
Presenters:
Kathleen Ramsay, VLCT Municipal Operations Specialist
Garrett Baxter, Senior Staff Attorney, VLCT Municipal Assistance Center
Resources: Selectboard Organization & Onboarding Presentation Deck