Voters rejected a petitioned article calling for a return to a three-person board. The article was defeated 22-13. Moderator Gary Sage thinks turnout was high because people “understood” that the town needs five selectboard members. However, he acknowledged where proponents were coming from. “They believed three selectboard members could make better conclusions. I agree with both sides,” said Sage.
At Town Meeting in 2008, the town approved a switch to a five-person selectboard, 26 to 19. Selectboard chair Walt Kenny supported the change. Kenny said the town is charged with several responsibilities mandated by the state. He recalls serving on the last three-person selectboard with Stan Florence and James Day, and being overloaded with work. The switch to a five-person selectboard, Kenny said, has made things much smoother for the town. “It’s definitely easier with five people,” said Kenny. “If I run a road crew, I don’t want to be the one that has to go out and find the lawyer when we need one. There are too many tasks. A good (five-person team) working together is more feasible.”
Bill Hurley, the individual who circulated the special Town Meeting petition, thought the town would be better off with a three-person selectboard. Hurley said he was “very disappointed” with the results. “It stinks that we can’t get business taken care of here. We also never see all five selectboard members at the meetings. Why? They’re getting paid to be there,” said Hurley.
Hurley was also disappointed at how the the five-person selectboard handled his reappraisal. Hurley’s property used to be worth $47,300. But the value jumped 223% and now his property is worth $105,400. Hurley thought the selectboard, which also serves as the board of civil authority, did not represent homeowners well during the grievance process. He believes a three-person board would have handled it more to his satisfaction, but he did not provide specifics. “I’m having to take my grievance to the courts. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered,” said Hurley.
Florence supported the article because the three-person selectboard he served on prior to 2008 was more effective. The two biggest accomplishments were approving the windmill contract with Iberdrola Renewables and securing much needed Federal Emergency Management Agency funds. He said “nothing has been accomplished” with the current selectboard and going back to the old number would simplify things.
Sage noted that last Wednesday’s results were very similar to the vote taken at Town Meeting in 2008. Regardless of the outcome, Sage said it was “a good crowd for a special meeting. The people are happy with what they voted on.”
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