BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – After an extensive search conducted recently by the Rockingham Selectboard and Bellows Falls Village Trustees, town officials hired Aaron Patt as the new municipal manager for the Town of Rockingham, Village of Bellows Falls, and Village of Saxtons River.
The town and village conducted a nearly five-month search, in collaboration with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), as well as a Montpelier-based town-executive recruitment service. After accepting the position and signing a three-year contract, Patt officially began his tenure during the last week of May, as he took over the reins from interim Municipal Manager Alex Torpey.
“I discovered the job in Rockingham through VLCT, and they did an excellent job with the placement process,” Patt said in a recent interview. “I was drawn to the position due to the complexity of the job, and I am also very interested in the history of the area and the [Rockingham] Meeting House.”
Patt’s previous experience includes 15 years as the town administrator for Greenfield, N.H., a town 40 miles east of Keene, with a population of just over 1,700. Pratt had thrived at the position since 2011, after previously leading an industrial pollution cleanup group in Troy, N.H. Patt was also a selectboard member in Troy, and then a commissioner for Cheshire County.
“We are very happy for Aaron, and sad to see him go,” Greenfield Selectboard Chair Tom Bascom told the Monadnock Ledger Transcript after the announcement. “Patt brought a level of structure and professionalism to town offices that has really been a positive thing for the town.”
“I grew up in Bernardston [Massachusetts], and am originally from the tristate area,” Patt added. “I moved to New Hampshire, where I lived for 27 years, near Mount Monadnock.
“About five years ago, my wife and I started looking for retirement property, and while I still have many years to go before I retire, we decided to move ‘back home’ to Vermont and now have an old farmhouse in Wardsboro.”
During his tenure in Greenfield, Patt oversaw many impressive projects, including the renovation of a new community center, the securing of federal grant money for the $1 million renovation of the town’s historic meeting house, and the completion of a new town police station. Patt also led Greenfield through the uncertainty of Covid emergency protocols.
Patt oversaw and maintained all municipal finances and left his post with the town in a strong financial position. “After completing the major renovation of the Greenfield Meeting House, I am especially looking forward to working on the Rockingham Meeting House,” Patt said.