Weinberger appoints Chapin Spencer as director of Burlington Department of Public Works

Mayor Miro Weinberger today announced the appointment of Chapin Spencer as the Director of the Burlington Department of Public Works. Spencer, the founder and current Executive Director of Local Motion, a Burlington-based non-profit that promotes people-powered transportation and recreation, and a past Ward 1 Progressive City Councilor, has been serving the City of Burlington in a variety of important roles for the past 18 years. Weinberger has asked the City Council to approve the appointment at its June 24, 2013 meeting.
Chapin Spencer speaks during announcement that he will be the next Burlington Public Works director. Mayor Weinberger is in white shirt behind him.
‘Chapin has a proven track record as a dynamic, effective leader and manager, having achieved stunning success creating and leading Local Motion, one of the country’s most effective bike and pedestrian advocacy organizations,’said Weinberger. ‘In nearly two decades of service to this community, Chapin has shown himself to be both a visionary who can push the community forward and a pragmatist who can deliver on-the-ground progress. This combination of attributes will be critical as he helps the City realize the future Burlingtonians deeply want to see.’
‘Whether fixing potholes and sidewalks, paving or plowing the streets, improving stormwater management, or working on waste reduction, the Department of Public Works plays a pivotal role in the health, economy, and quality of life of our City,’said Spencer. ‘I appreciate the Mayor’s confidence in me to lead this great department and look forward to working closely with the dedicated and talented DPW team to tackle the everyday needs and many pressing issues facing our City.’
At today’s announcement, which took place inside the vehicle storage garage at DPW’s Pine Street facility, Weinberger and Spencer were joined by a number of City leaders and public works stakeholders, including:
· Nathan Lavery, Chair of the Burlington Public Works Commission: ‘Chapin Spencer is an exciting choice to lead the Burlington Department of Public Works. He's a proven community leader who combines a passion for innovative solutions with practical management skills. I'm confident he'll be an outstanding Director, and I look forward to working with him.’
· Joan Shannon, Ward 5 City Councilor and City Council President: ‘I first met Chapin when he was a City Councilor and, although I didn't live in his ward, I was told he was the ‘go to guy’for transportation issues. Over the years, Chapin has gained experience and successfully raised money and brought important projects to completion. I am confident that Chapin Spencer will be an inspiring leader of the Department of Public Works and systematically will work to address the needs of our aging infrastructure.’
· Bob Alberry, Member of the Burlington Public Works Commission: ‘Ever since I worked with Chapin several years ago on a paving bond issue, I’ve been impressed by his work, his passion, and his attention to detail. Chapin did a great job back then and has continued to dedicate himself to providing our City with excellent public service. Chapin knows our City, understands the operation of the department ‘ he’ll be a great asset as DPW’s next leader.’
· Kelly Devine, Executive Director of the Burlington Business Association: ‘What I appreciate most about Chapin Spencer is that, with every decision he makes, he considers the needs of and impact on both the larger community and its individual members. Through our work together on City initiatives and our studies of best practices in other like-minded communities, I have become aware that Chapin and I share the belief that the Department of Public Works plays a key role in the economy and vibrancy of Burlington. With this appointment, I look forward to continued opportunities to collaborate with Chapin for a better Burlington.’
Although unable to attend the announcement, Max Tracy, Ward 2 City Councilor and Chair of the Transportation, Energy, and Utilities Committee of the City Council, offered the following statement: ‘Chapin has displayed tremendous initiative, leadership, and vision in his tireless advocacy for improvements to Burlington’s bike and pedestrian infrastructure. I am confident that his highly collaborative style will translate to tangible results on everything from sidewalks to stormwater.’
Also unable to attend the announcement was Burlington resident Scott Johnstone, the former Director of the Burlington Department of Public Works (1992-98) and current Executive Director of Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, who offered the following statement: ‘I have known and worked with Chapin on transportation and public works issues since the early ‘90s ‘serving on the Local Motion board and collaborating with him while I was the DPW Director and he was a City Councilor. Chapin Spencer is a proven leader, a visionary, a public servant who knows how to engage our community and build consensus among stakeholders from a wide variety of backgrounds, and these are the fundamental skills needed to be a successful DPW director.’
Finally, also unable to attend the announcement was Tom Torti, President and CEO of the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, who offered the following statement: ‘Chapin Spencer has shown that he has the ability to work with diverse groups and to get complex projects done. From repairs to the Burlington Bike Path to the Island Line, Chapin has mobilized folks to achieve results under the most difficult of circumstances. This is exactly the kind of leadership that is needed at DPW at this time. Burlington will be well served by the Mayor's choice for our new DPW Director.’