Sultzbach looks back on time in Winchendon as he prepares to move on. Here's what he said.
It’s a “bittersweet” moment for Justin Sultzbach.
After two years as Winchendon Town Manager, Sultzbach is leaving the position to take the role of town administrator in Middleton.
Sultzbach, who lives in Lowell and is married with two children, said he made the decision to leave the Toy Town community primarily to be closer to his family, adding that his new job would cut his daily commute in half.
“I’m very committed to my family, and I recently just had another son, which was a big driver for my decision – I don’t want to miss them growing up,” he said. “I’m very excited to have that extra time with my family.”
Sultzbach said he was proud of his accomplishments in the community, stating that he and his team at Town Hall had gotten about a “decade’s worth of work done” in the past few years.
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Sultzbach credits Town Hall team for accomplishments
“It’s been an honor to lead this group,” he said, adding that among his proudest accomplishments was taking the town’s water and sewer enterprise account from a five-year deficit into the black, overseeing the Central St. renovation project, razing abandoned and dilapidated buildings, and making progress on replacing the town’s 160-year-old main water pipeline.
“We’re in a really good spot to move the (water pipeline) project forward and to take away something that was really hanging over the people of Winchendon for pretty much a generation at this point,” Sultzbach explained. “And for the first time in a long time, about a year from now, there are going to be people who say they have a reliable, clean, potable water source – and just on a quality of life level, that was a significant accomplishment.”
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New waterfront amphitheater among proudest accomplishments
There had been a number of potential projects – an “embarrassment of riches,” as he put it – just waiting to be launched when Sultzbach first stepped into the office.
“I’m so grateful for that, I’m so grateful for my team,” he said, adding that the $4 million amphitheater project hadn’t even been in the permitting phase two years ago. The outdoor waterfront performance center, which will host live performances and movie nights, will officially open to the public on June 10.
“The biggest aspiration for that is that it’s going to be a regional draw – it will serve the people of Winchendon, but it will also serve people outside of Winchendon,” he said. “That in and of itself would have been a career accomplishment for me, and to be able to be a driver behind that project is meaningful.”
More: New outdoor theater space coming to Winchendon next summer
Sultzbach said he was proud to have kicked off the ‘Toy Town Turnaround’ under his watch as town manager.
“I think for a long time, historically, the story of Winchendon has been that it used to be something really great but it’s been in economic decline ever since,” he said. “But I think for the first time in a long time people in this town are really holding their heads high – they’ve always been proud of their community, but I think they’re really excited to show and highlight for everybody outside of Winchendon’s borders that Winchendon is back.”
Walking away from a community he loves
Sultzbach said he was walking away from a community that he loved.
“I love the people here, I love their spirit, and it’s a community that is very proud and has a very rich history, and (residents) are not shy about telling you what’s what, and I love that about them,” he said, adding that his staff had become something of a family over the past two years. “I’ve never professionally worked in a situation where everybody was so eager to see each other succeed. And to be able to foster that type of group dynamic in Town Hall was something that was very special for me.”
But Sultzbach said he was planning on working closely with his eventual successor during their transition, and that he told members of his staff that would only be a phone call or a text away if they ever needed his help.
More: Winchendon officials aim to break ground on new waterfront park at no cost to taxpayers
“I want to see this town win, and even if that means me not being here, I’m still 100 percent behind Winchendon,” he said. “This is a beautiful town and it has a lot going for it – this is one hell of a town.”
Choosing a successor
The Board of Selectmen has created a Search Committee for Sultzbach's successor. The committee will consist of a member of the Finance Committee and a member of the School Committee and five members from the Town. Residents interested in being a part of the committee, should send a letter of interest to Mary Calandrella at mcalandrella@winchendon-ma.gov by June 7, 2023.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Winchendon Town Manager Justin Sultzbach Resigning
