Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-03-06-BOS-min 358 C") SELECTMEN'S MEETING ' March 6, 1956 A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Room, Town Office Building, on Tuesday evening, March 6, l9;6 at 7:30 P.M. Messrs. Reed, James, Maloney, Tucker, Mrs. Morey and the clerk were present. The meeting was called for the purpose of organization. The meeting was opened by the Clerk and nomina- 1 tions were in order for a Chairman for the ensuing year. Mr. Maloney stated that he thought it would be proper for one of the past members of the Board to nominate and he, therefore, nominated Mr. Reed. Mr. Maloney stated that he personally was not interested. Mr. Tucker asked if Mr. James were interested. Mrs. Morey asked if the former members of the Board hadn't decided and Mr. Maloney replied in the negative, stating that there has been no discussion. Mr. Reed stated that they have not actually dis- cussed the subject. Mr. Tucker explained that he had no preconceived ideas. Mr. Reed said that he did not know if Mr. James was interested and asked if the Board wanted to put in another nomination. Mr. James said that the way he felt was this. If the Board feels it would like to have him he would accept, but would make no effort to receive the nomina- tion. Mr. Tucker said he would nominate Mr. James just to have it open and not appear to be cut and dried, which he was sure it wasn' t. Mrs. Morey said that she assumed the Board had been preparing for Town Meeting because the preparation goes on for some time beforehand. She asked how the Board has been prepared and who has it lined up. Mr. Reed replied that Mr. James has the salaries lined up. He explained that last year the Board di- vided the articles and intended to follow the same pro- cedure this year. He stated that Mr. James has worked on the salaries with the Personnel Advisory Committee and he thought the other items could be worked up in a very short while. He said there are not any heavy projects except the proposed Town Office Building but 359 IIthat is under another committee. He said that as far as Article L4 is concerned it is in the budget and can be referred to at any time for the purpose of answer- ing any questions. Mr. Maloney moved that nominations be closed. Mr. Reed said that the Chairmanship involved a lot of time. Mrs. Morey said that considerable information is needed. She stated that the thties of the Chairman in- volve more time than the duties of other members of the Board as she understood it. She asked if it were not a question of availability etc. She asked if Mr. James were going to be around and he replied in the affirma- tive. He explained that he has things arranged so he can be around a good deal more. Mr. Maloney stated that he had not talked much with Mr. Reed about the Chairmanship or with Mr. James but he personally was not interested. He stated that he has so many things to do he could not under any condition do justice to the position. He said that he is available ,and people find him. He still feels the way he does as far as he is concerned andthe reason he nominated Mr. Reed is that he is available and has been available. Furthermore, there has been some conversation that per- ' haps Mr. James would not be with the Board another year. He stated that all those things percent a problem. He reported that Mr. Bateman was Chairman this past year and was confronted with problems and he could not begin to tell how much time he put in. He stated that Mr. Bateman put in a great deal of time and then worked with the other members of the Board to carry the projects through to a conclusion. Mr. James said that is what has bothered him for several years, not only on this Board but the School Committee and the Appropriation Committee, There are two ways to take care of it. One way to take care of it is the way the School Committee has handled it. They nominate a Chairman about January 1st which serves the purpose. He explained that the other way which it can be taken care of - he believed under the present By-laws Town Meeting could be held prior to election so that Town Meeting is all over and carried by old officials and election comes afterward. Mrs. Morey explained that that would require a By- law change. Mr. Reed said it would take a By-law change and raised the question of the number of Adjourned 'Town Meetings that might be held. Mr. Maloney said that at this point it still presents a problem. Mr. James said it could be handled the way the 360 CIA School Committee handles it without any problem. He said he .did not think it should be considered a problem. Mr. Tucker said his only thought in nominating Mr. James is that surely Mrs. Morey or he does not want it. Mr. Maloney doesn't want it, and it narrows down to two. He said that he thought sometimes it was a healthy situation to have a choice. Mrs. Morey said it is left as the choice being up to her and she did not like it. She stated that it is an awkward position for a new person to be in+ Mr. Maloney said he did not think so. He said he did not think it fair for a previous Board to arrive at a decision by themselves. The members were going to operate as a Board and he thought the new members should have a part in this. He said he was sure as far as the Board goes, and all its members, there would be no ill feeling whatsoever in the situation. Mrs. Morey asked how long Mr. Reed served as Chair- man before and he replied two years. Mrs. Morey said that Mr. Reed had been on the Board four years and Mr. James has been on the Board two years. She said she has heard Mr. James say one term is all he might do. Mr. Janes said that he has thought that many times. Mrs. Morey asked if he liked the idea ff the School Committee and he replied in the affirmative stating that he wished the Selectmen had it this year. Mr. Reed said he did not think any man should be Chairman if it is going to be his last year. Actually he is the one with everything in the palm of his hand. He explained that is why, when he was elected Chairman, he asked Mr. Nickerson to take the Town Meeting, be- cause he felt he did not know enough about it. Mrs. Morey said that Mr. Reed then felt a man should not be 'Chairman his third year if he were not going to run again. Mr. Maloney asked how long Mrs. Morey was Chairman of the School Committee and she replied four years. Mr. Maloney said she was available most of the ..time. Mrs. Morey explained that she also told the School Committee in September she was resigning because she was not going to run and the Committee knew it and everything was taken care of. Mr, James said that solved the problem very nicely as it has this year on the School Committee, Mrs. Morey said she could see Mr. James would like an opportunity to be Chairman and she knew how he felt when he has been a member of the Board for a long time and never been Chairman. Mr. Tucker asked Mr. James if he definitely was not going to run or think about running. J 361 k Mr. James replied he would make up his mind when this vote is over. Mrs. Morey seconded the nomination for Mr. Reed. Mr. Maloney moved that nominations be closed and Mr. Tucker seconded the nomination. Mr. Reed said that a paper ballot could still be taken. Mr. Maloney said he did not think that should be done as this is a group going to work together for some time. He stated that Mr. James never mentioned to him that he wanted to be Chairman. The Board was unanimously in favor of closing the nominations. Upon motion of Mr. Tucker, seconded by Mr. James, it was voted to have the Clerk cast one ballot for Mr. Haskell W. Reed and Mr. Reed was unanimously elected Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for the ensuing year. Mr. Reed expressed his thanks to the Board and said he sincerely hoped he could do what is expected of him. He stated that the Board has worked very well together and hoped it would continue to do so. He in- vited the new members to ask questions and explained that, having been on the Board for two or three years, the old members sometimes may not realize that the new members are not cognizant of what is going on. An informal discussion was held relative to capi- tal expenditures items to be presented at Town Meeting. The meeting adjourned at 8:140 P.M. A true record, Attest: `�% mmeentive Clerliy3elec men