ORANGE — The Selectboard has reorganized itself, but not without a scrum for the position of chairman.
The reshuffle occurred in the first meeting after the election this month and Richard Sheridan was appointed to the helm with a 3-2 vote.
Clerk Jim Cornwell nominated Sheridan.
“The board is facing a similar situation the town has faced before, dealing with a TA (town administrator) replacement, repeat-unresolved issues, accountability, et cetera,” Cornwell said. “With the current makeup of the board, I feel if the new chair had direct experience with past similar issues, we as a board would be better positioned to deal with the current situation. I feel the outcome of tonight’s meeting will set the tone for the entire next term.”
The motion was seconded by new member Tom Smith. Sheridan said he thinks it’s a great idea.”
New member Jane Peirce suggested the reorganization be postponed until the town hires a new administrative assistant, “because there’s so much transition already. Keeping the same chairman will be beneficial. I think it’s a lot of change all at once.”
Cornwell said. “To me it’s re-designating what we’re doing.”
Smith agreed, saying, “I think it’s time to move on.”
Chairman Ryan Mailloux said he was torn on the issue.
“I would like to continue as chair for another year for different reasons. I feel I slightly got gypped as chair by spending my term dealing with the fact we didn’t have a town administrator and not being able to focus on change,” he said. “We did have a lot of success and a lot of accomplishment, but I did have to deal with a lot of day-to-day activities that should have been run by the town administrator. Instead of me being focused on being chair of the board, I focused as basically a secretary. It really wasn’t how I wanted to spend my term.”
Mailloux addressed the suggestion that it was time for change saying, “I don’t see how having Mr. Sheridan, who’s been on the board for years and as chairman, is change. It is the opposite. To me it’s going back in time, to exactly how it’s been for years.” He looked over to Sheridan and said, “Please don’t take that offensively. I respect you greatly and enjoy working with you.”
Sheridan smiled and said, “I’m crushed.”
Cornwell said the board is facing the same issues as a year ago.
“(Sheridan) was going to be chair on a rotation basis, anyway,” he said.
Town Clerk Nancy Blackmer said a board typically reorganizes every year, but could reorganize every month if it chose.
Sheridan said last year the rotation tradition was followed when Mailloux was elected.
Sheridan added that the rotation of chairman should be done away with after he, and then Cornwell, serve a year as chairman. Cornwell told the members not to worry about his turn in the rotation, “any of that — that’s TBD.”
Sheridan said he didn’t take offense at “the ‘going backwards’ comment.”
“I think going backwards is what we need to do at this time, because lots of things have occurred in the last year that were contradictory to procedures that were done prior, because there wasn’t a selectman in the position to know what those procedures were.”
Mailloux countered, “That is definitely inaccurate. The procedures have changed because it’s 2018, and they have not been followed properly and been kept up. I have worked very closely with town counsel, who has helped guide us to finally be acting. I don’t think it’s the right time to go back to the same chair we had before with the same experience we had before. I don’t think I’m done yet. I think the town can benefit from more of the fact we are changing and starting to follow procedures more accurately and more in our modern society.”
Cornwell criticized Mailloux’s handling of some of a list of issues he brought to the chairman, inferring they were ignored.
Mailloux said, “It is the responsibility of the chair to determine what are the priorities and what’s holding back the town.”
A vote was taken to elect Sheridan as chair with Sheridan, Cornwell and Smith in favor and Mailloux and Peirce against.
Peirce made a motion to elect Mailloux as vice chairman saying, “I think continuity is important. We know Ryan’s worked really hard to make some important changes on the board, and don’t want to lose the investment we’ve made in getting him up to speed with that valuable information and his ability to move forward.”
The motion passed unanimously. Cornwell was voted in unanimously as clerk.
The following liaison assignments were made:
Richard Sheridan — Trustees of Soldiers Memorials, police, building inspection, Clerical Union
Jim Cornwell — Capital Improvement Planning Committee (voting member) and Economic Development, which includes community development, airport and the Bylaw Review Committee
Ryan Mailloux — Schools, including elementary, Mahar, Franklin County Tech and the Elementary School Committee; and general government, which includes assessors, tax collector, accountant and treasurer
Tom Smith — Social Services, which includes the library, Council on Aging/elder services and veterans services; Town Building Planning Committee
Jane Peirce — Fire Department, Board of Health, animal inspection and public works, which includes highway, parks, cemetery, water, wastewater treatment, sewer, and sanitation.
Ingrid Whitten of Ames Trophy was thanked for supplying the name plates for the two new board members at no cost to the town.
During the reports of each of the selectmen, Peirce talked about the lack of security at the Orange Armory. The town is researching alarm systems and ways to eliminate security risks. It was noted employees there work odd hours and often at night.
Blackmer mentioned that even at Town Hall on voter registration nights there is only one person in the building. Sheridan said he or the other board members should be notified when that occurs so someone can report to the office to provide security.
Cornwell stated, “We now have a five-member board. Congratulations to the returning members and welcome to the newest members. The board is the CEOs of the town government. Together, we can make a difference.”