WINOOSKI – After seven years of service, Winooski city manager is leaving the position for a new role in Chittenden County.
Katherine Decarreau known as “Deac,” announced her resignation from her position as city manager. She is taking a job as the executive director of finance and operations at the Chittenden Central Supervisory Union.
Decarreau said that it was simply time to move on.
A lifetime resident of Winooski, Decarreau became city manager in 2009.
Decarreau said her work with the city is intense work and has recently become tiring for her. She is looking forward to overseeing operations and finances and for the school district, she said.
“Every question you get [as city manager] has two years’ worth of history that you are going to create, and it’s sometimes nice to change up those questions,“ she said.
Mayor Seth Leonard said that Decarreau will be missed. Her tenure as city manager has allowed Winooski to move forward not only providing the city with structural and financial organization, but also a foundation for strong civic engagement models for the city, he said.
Leonard said he found out about the resignation eight days ago.
The Winooski city council will meet tonight to draft a plan to move forward. The council, which includes Leonard and four councilors will select the new manager. According to the city’s charter, the city manager may stay on for 60 days after official resignation at the city’s need. Leonard said the search for a new manager may take about six months.
The acting city manager is community services director Ray Coffey.
Leonard said he has no notion of who the new manager will be at this time, but they are open to a very wide range of options.
Winooski is the most diverse and densely populated city in Vermont. The candidate must be able to manage a growing population with only a certain amount of space, Leonard said.
Decarreau, who has been able to walk to work, said she has scoped bike routes for her new job. She will continue to live in the city. Leonard said that though he is sad to see her go, he wishes her the best at her new job.
