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Talent hires administrator with small-town expertise By MEG LANDERS TALENT � A longtime municipal manager from Vermont has been named this city�s chief administrator. Talent Mayor Marian Telerski announced Thursday that Betty Wheeler has been appointed city administrator and recorder. Wheeler, 60, was the town manager in Middlebury, Vt., population 8,200, for 14 years, and prior to that was town manager in Castleton, Vt., population 3,200, for three years. She said her experience makes her a good fit for Talent. "I�m used to small towns," she said in a telephone interview from Chandler, Ariz., where she currently lives. She said she moved to Arizona in September 2001 to be closer to family in the West. "We�ve chosen someone with an incredible amount of experience and we feel fortunate to have her as our new city administrator," said City Council President Lisa Shapiro, adding, "She�s very well-rounded. She�s very detail oriented." The City Council began its search after City Administrator Kelly Madding announced her decision to leave in October. Mike McAlvage has served as interim administrator and will continue until March 25 when Wheeler begins her new job. McAlvage has offered to stay on longer if needed to help with the transition. A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, with a degree in business administration, Wheeler has been involved in the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, and was appointed by the governor of Vermont to represent municipalities on several state boards and commissions. She also helped establish a curbside recycling program in Middlebury. Wheeler said she�s planning to move to Talent on March 22, and is excited about getting to work on the city�s projects. "The first thing is going to be the budget and that�s probably going to be the focus of my time for the next couple months," said Wheeler. "I�m looking forward to getting there and getting to know the citizens of Talent and working with the council and the staff," said Wheeler. "I hope I can make Talent�s dreams come true." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.