WHATELY — Amid a recent vacancy, the town is seeking to fill its community development administrator position, which is tasked with fostering economic development.

Previous Community Development Administrator Sylvie Jensen left the job on Sept. 18 after more than a year in the position, and the town is looking to build on the projects she and her predecessor started in the role.

While review of applications will begin on Sept. 30, Whately will keep the position open until a candidate is hired. The annual salary is currently set at $55,526.

Selectboard members said they are seeking someone who is able to help the town secure grants, while also being able to work with town committees and boards.

“Someone with appropriate background who’s interested in making a home in this community and working with us long-term,” said Selectboard Chair Julie Waggoner, adding that one of the keys to the position, especially because Whately is a small town with a tight budget, is “good grant writing skills.”

“I think one of the things that made our previous ones successful is they had good resumes, they had good backgrounds and they had education that was relevant to the position,” Selectboard member Joyce Palmer-Fortune added.

The position was created in 2021 with the intention of fostering economic development in town. Secondary roles include assisting land-use boards with town planning and permit review/approval, while also taking pressure off the town administrator and other town employees.

Palmer-Fortune said Jensen, as well as her predecessor Hannah Davis, were excellent resources and their skill when it came to applying for grants brought a lot of extra money to Whately.

While Jensen and Davis both stuck around for more than a year before parting ways, Selectboard members are hopeful they can attract someone who is willing to make a long-term commitment to the community.

Laying out an estimated timeline, Town Administrator Peter Kane said review of applications will begin on Sept. 30. That review will determine when interviews are held. If a strong candidate is among the applications already submitted, then someone could be hired by the “end of October.”

Kane, alongside Planning Board Chair Brant Cheikes and Selectboard member Fred Baron, will be interviewing the candidates.

The full job description and employment application can be found at whately.org/home/news/career-opportunity-community-development-administrator.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.