Select board announces new municipal manager pick

July 8, 2026  |  By Lisa Scagliotti

Graci Zeiger will start work as Waterbury's new municipal manager on Aug. 24. Courtesy photo

With a unanimous vote, the Waterbury Select Board on Tuesday approved a three-year contract to hire a new municipal manager with a start date in August.

After interviewing three finalists from a field of 16 applicants for the job, the board chose and offered the position to Graci Zeiger, from Indianola, Iowa. Zeiger currently works as a program manager for the Iowa Public Employee Retirement System and previously was a facilitator for the Iowa Department of Education, according to select board leaders. 

In announcing the choice at the board’s meeting Tuesday evening, Select Board Chair Martha Staskus and Vice Chair Don Schneider said town officials were impressed with feedback they received from Zeiger’s references that included two supervisors, two colleagues and a former client. 

They said Zeiger was described as being “a natural leader” and very collaborative, able to handle many tasks. “She willingly accepted feedback – even critical – making necessary adjustments immediately. Supervisors felt very comfortable letting her run programs without much guidance from them,” Schneider said. “Her ethics and professionalism are top-notch.” 

Zeiger has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Certified Public Manager certificate from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Central College in Pella, Iowa.

The board leaders have not yet shared Zeiger’s resume or application but included some of Zeiger’s background details in their news release after the board’s meeting Tuesday evening. 

The select board members and both a municipal staff committee and a seven-member community team interviewed Zeiger and two other finalists for the position. Schneider said that a total of 19 people participated in the interview process, which was facilitated by Bill Fraser, former Montpelier city manager who works as a consultant with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

Each finalist spent a day in Waterbury in late June meeting with the interview groups and getting a tour of the town with Interim Town Manager Bill Woodruff.  

Zeiger will be the municipality’s first woman in the top management role, succeeding Tom Leitz, who stepped down at the start of February after serving in the position for a little over three years. The search process to fill the job attracted 16 applicants from eight states, the select board leaders noted. They did not elaborate further on the breakdown of where the candidates were located, nor did they share names of any of the other applicants. 

Five candidates were selected for an initial interview round with the select board, which then chose three finalists for the in-depth interview process. 

The board and other interview team members found Zeiger’s professional background and personal style to be a strong fit for Waterbury, Stauskas and Schneider noted in their announcement. “Reviewers highlighted her interpersonal skills, collaborative approaches and ability to quickly grasp complex issues as particular strengths,” they said. “Ms. Zeiger brings a demonstrated track record of uniting diverse stakeholders to achieve shared, common solutions.”

They noted Zeiger’s communication style and budgeting experience as other strong attributes. “We look forward to working with her as she brings her enthusiasm, energy and excellent people skills to the community and establishes budgets through planning and goal-setting,” they said. 

The board leaders included brief comments from Zeiger in the announcement: “The selectboard, staff and residents on the interview committee were a wonderful introduction to town, and make me eager to step into the role. As Municipal Manager, I look forward to supporting our dedicated employees and working hand-in-hand with our residents to build a strong, thriving future.”

Rick Weston and Anne Imhoff are community members who took part in the interview process. “We met with a slate of strong candidates, each of whom would bring unique skills and experience to the job,” Weston said. “I very much look forward to helping Ms. Zeiger begin her tenure as Town Manager.”

Imhoff commented that Zeiger was engaging in the interview process. “She is a very pleasant person with a bright personality,” Imhoff said. 

Staskus said she appreciated the process used to recruit and choose the new manager. “It was a really successful process in engaging the community, engaging staff,” she said.

The details of the employment contract with Zeiger have not been disclosed yet. Her start date was announced as Aug. 24, giving her time to relocate to Vermont.