On November 3, 2025, the Milton Selectboard approved a resolution to establish a deputy Town Manager Position within the Town's organization chart. The intent of this addition is to establish a clear second-in-command to strengthen stability, continuity, and responsiveness, and to provide better support and availability for staff, residents, and partners.

The Town posted the position internally, structuring it as an added responsibility for a current staff member, with compensation adjusted accordingly and funded within the existing budget through personnel realignments and current vacancies. Following an interview process that involved the Town Manager, the HR Director and representation from the Selectboard, Amber N. Baker, the Town's Finance Director since 2022, was offered and accepted this new title. Amber will continue serving as Finance Director, with the Deputy Town Manager responsibilities added to her current duties. 

About the Deputy Town Manager Role

Over the past decade, the Town of Milton has evolved in complexity to require the addition of a Deputy Town Manager as a second in command who will strengthen coordination, improve responsiveness and ensure multiple complex initiatives move forward efficiently. 

Increased Complexity of Municipal Management: Regulatory and compliance requirements at both the state and federal levels have expanded significantly, creating new obligations in areas such as stormwater management and MS4 compliance, environmental permitting, procurement oversight, and detailed grant administration and reporting. In addition, large-scale infrastructure, development, and recreation projects now require extensive coordination among departments, state agencies, and regional partners. All of these functions, either directly or through shared oversight, are managed within the Town Manager’s Office.

Importance of Continuity in Leadership: For Milton, events over the past year highlighted the importance of organizational continuity with the unfortunate and untimely need to appoint an Acting Town Manager. The experience highlighted the value of maintaining internal leadership depth and underscored the importance of establishing a permanent structure that ensures operational stability and consistent management capacity regardless of circumstances.

This structure is common in Vermont municipalities of similar size, and it will help ensure important work continues to move forward smoothly.

About Amber N. Baker

Amber joined the Town of Milton staff in 2022, where she has consistently shown strong dedication to the Town’s work, with a clear focus on transparency, accountability, and the needs of both residents and staff.

Amber has worked in municipal government since 2004, bringing more than two decades of experience in local government finance and administration. She served as Town Treasurer for the Town of Georgia from 2004 to 2023, overseeing municipal financial operations for nearly 20 years. From 2019 to 2022, she also held the role of Town Administrator for the Town of Georgia, providing leadership across all aspects of municipal operations.

In July of 2024, Amber stepped up to serve for 11 months as Acting Co-Town Manager, alongside John Bartlett, while the Town navigated an incredibly challenging time. That experience, along with her extensive experience with municipal management, made her a strong internal candidate for this role. 

Outside of her professional role, Amber is a mother of three boys, two of whom, like her husband, serve as firefighters, reflecting her family’s strong connection to public safety and community service.

As this is a new role, the Town will be working over the coming months to thoughtfully integrate it into policies, workflows and procedures. Any questions can be directed to Town Manager Chris Taylor.