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Winds of Change Just 24 hours after all the votes were counted at Town Meeting—including approval for moving the municipal offices to the former co-op building—a new majority formed in the selectboard that has different ideas. At the selectboard’s organizational meeting Wednesday night at RTCC, Jim Hutchinson, who has been chair of the board for several years, was passed over for reëlection and new board member Stephen Webster was elected chair in his place. Hutchinson was nominated by Selectman Larry Townsend, but the nomination died for lack of a second. Then Selectman Ken Goss nominated Webster and it was seconded by Joe Voci, and Webster elected. Later in the meeting, Webster also replaced Hutchinson as chair of the Municipal Building Committee, which for about eight years has been planning a renovation, enlargement, or replacement of the town offices. Hutchinson offered to continue as chair of that committee, but Webster made an objection. "I have come to realize that there are three of us (on the board) who disagree with the borderline vote (to move the offices to the co-op building,) he said. The three who disagree are Webster, Voci, and Goss. The chairmanship of the committee should reflect the new reality on the selectboard, he suggested. Hutchinson said he was "more than happy" to step aside. The "borderline vote" that Webster referred to was the 719 to 694 vote (with 121 ballots left blank) on whether to authorize the town to use bond money to create new town offices in the former co-op space on Pleasant Street. The $1.2 million bond was originally intended to be spent in renovating and expanding the existing town office building on Summer Street. That Town Meeting vote was the second one to be held on the topic. Previously, an identical motion was defeated by 223-179, with fewer than 400 voters turning out. A petition was raised, requesting the second vote. This time around, the Municipal Building Committee, by a majority of 5-2, approved the change, as did a 4-1 majority of the selectboard. The boards cited a cost savings of $150,000 in construction costs—plus the proceeds from selling the existing municipal building. Other benefits, they said, would include the use of local contractors for the work and a "turnkey" procedure which would save town employees from having to work in the building during the months of construction. As of last Wednesday’s selectboard meeting, it was uncertain what direction the new majority would take. In an interview, Webster noted that the vote at Town Meeting merely "authorized" the change in the use of the bond funds, and did not appear to require it. Town staff was also researching the legalities of holding a second "revote" on the municipal building question. Committee Assignments The selectboard made a score of other assignments and appointments Wednesday at its reorganization meeting, and it set its regular meetings to be the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. at the Techical Academics room at RTCC. Appointments included: Planning Commission liaison: Hutchinson Municipal Building Comm. Chair: Webster Water & Sewer Chair: Voci Ancient Roads Comm. Chair: Goss Budget Comm., ex officio: Townsend Capital Planning Chair: Hutchinson Chandler ex officio: Goss Composting Comm. Chair: Voci Conservation Comm Chair: Vacant Energy Committee, liaison: Townsend Forest Comm. Chair: Hutchinson Fire Advisory, lieison: Goss Highway Comm. Chair: Goss Kimball Library liaison: Hutchinson Police Advisory Comm. Chair: Townsend Recreation Advisory Comm chair: Voci Water & Sewer Chair: Voci East Valley Planninc Comm. Liaison: Voci |
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