Norwich — Brittany Williams didn’t have the traditional background of a municipal blight control officer, but she said her enthusiasm for meeting people, studying issues and attacking problems gives her the confidence and energy she will need.
Williams, 29, of Willington started her new position April 23 and spent her first week getting to know the city, its hills, winding roads, distinct neighborhoods, complex road network and many one-way streets.
“Every time I get to an intersection, my mother’s words come to mind, ‘take it slow, look both ways,’” Williams said Monday.
Williams grew up in the greater Hartford area in a family with experience in real estate and property management. She jokingly called herself “nerdy” for her habit of seeking out and reading online zoning handbooks and real estate information. She is an alternate on the Willington Planning and Zoning Commission.
She found the Norwich blight control officer position online and jumped at the chance to apply.
Norwich Director of Inspections James Troeger said Monday the city selection committee members had gone through three rounds of interviews and weren’t quite satisfied they found the right person. That is, until Williams came along.
“She fit the job description better,” Troeger said Monday. “I think she’ll be enthusiastic. I think she’ll be firm, and we just thought she would work well with the rest of the staff. She stood out.”
City Planner Deanna Rhodes, who oversees the building and code enforcement offices, said she was impressed with Williams’ personality, professionalism and approach to the position. Rhodes said Williams’ “heavy customer service” background and experience as an independent contractor showed she is self-motivated for the position.
“She’s got the personality and professionalism, and I think she can handle herself really well and be respectful to the people she’s dealing with,” Rhodes said.
The position opened up when former blight control Officer Dan Coley became a code enforcement officer following an inspector’s retirement. Williams will be paid an annual starting salary of $55,204.
Williams most recently worked as a subcontractor for Lean Logistics, a transportation logistics firm in Wallingford, and in the past worked in the hospitality industry at hotels. She will graduate this month with an associate degree in general studies at Manchester Community College and plans to work for a while before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a field connected with real estate and housing.
Williams spent much of her first week getting to know the city. Coley took her on a tour before she ventured out on her own. In the coming weeks, she plans to attend neighborhood watch meetings and will be a regular at the Board of Review of Dangerous Buildings, a committee that often discusses troublesome blighted properties.
“I definitely see the bulky waste issue,” Williams said of the chronic problem of debris, discarded furniture, mattresses and other items littering urban areas.
She plans to reach out to neighborhoods to make sure residents realize they need to call the city’s waste contractor, Willimantic Waste, to schedule a collection before putting items on the street. Residents are allowed two free scheduled bulky waste collections per year.
The prevalence of absentee landlords is another problem for both tenants and the landlords, who are not here to pay close attention to their properties.
“Hopefully, I can reach out to them and get their attention focused back on these properties,” Williams said.