After several months with an interim administrator, Rindge has hired Max Vandervliet as it’s new town administrator.
The Select Board held a meet-and-greet for Vandervliet on Wednesday, his first day on the job.
Vandervliet most recently worked as a city district manager for New York City, overseeing District 7 in Manhattan, which has a population of about 205,000. Before that, he worked for a consulting firm with municipal clients throughout New England, where he led planning initiatives, economic development studies, housing plans and other projects for towns of various sizes. He said he has worked with towns smaller than Rindge, larger than Rindge and about the same size.
“I’m very excited for this new opportunity. I hope people don’t think I’m bringing New York here. As a former urban planner, I believe in tailoring, whether it’s planning or governance in general, to the specific town,” Vandervliet said.
Vandervliet earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Virginia Tech. While attending graduate school, Vandervliet worked in the university’s Office of Economic Development, providing pro-bono services to rural towns in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina, that lacked full-time planners or engineers.
“People see New York City, and think, ‘Oh, that’s so different from what we do here,’ but before that chapter, I spent a lot of my time in small towns, and it’s definitely my preference,” Vandervliet said.
He said one of the attractions of smaller towns for him is “more tangible governance.”
“Everything felt too large and too performative in New York. I’m someone who prefers to go deeper into the weeds and be more hands-on,” Vandervliet said.
Vandervliet said he was drawn to Rindge because he is familiar with the area, having spent summers as a child on a lake about 45 minutes away. He said he is looking to relocate to Rindge or a town nearby.
In his spare time, Vandervliet enjoys outdoor activities, including fishing, skiing and hiking.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.