Templeton chair resigns
Eryn DionNews Staff Writer
TEMPLETON — Board of Selectmen Chair Jeffrey Bennett resigned Monday morning, effective immediately, according to Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel.
As outlined in the board’s Policies and Procedures, should the Chairman leave office, the Vice Chairman will take up those duties until the board elects a new Chair. Based on that process, current Vice Chairman Kenn Robinson is expected to step up and assume the Chair’s responsibilities and a new Chairman will be elected after the annual town election in May.
Mr. Bennett, who was elected to the select board in May of 2011, was unanimously appointed to the position of Chairman in May of 2013 while serving in Afghanistan with the National Guard. His three-year term was set to expire this May and records with the Town Clerk’s office indicate he had recently taken out nomination papers for re-election.
Mr. Robinson earned his seat on the board during last year’s April election and was named Vice Chairman in May following a nomination from Mr. Bennett.
Over the course of the last year, Mr. Bennett is the second select board member to resign. Last May, Virginia Wilder stepped down from her seat on the board after she cited claims of being bullied.
In February, Mr. Bennett filed an Open Meeting Law complaint against Mr. Robinson and members Diane Haley Brooks and Doug Morrison for participating in a lengthy email chain over the town’s inclement whether policy. Town Counsel determined an OML violation had occurred and the at-fault parties participated in OML training through the Attorney General’s website.
Mr. Bennett was not available for comment and the board has no known plans to select a new Chair.
Outside of the board, numerous town officials have offered their resignation or been dismissed in the wake of the town’s looming financial crisis.
Former Town Coordinator Jeffery Ritter left his position in December for an administrator post in Sterling and current Town Accountant Fred Aponte announced his resignation, effective at the end of this month — a move that followed shortly after the dismissal of Treasurer, Dan Keeney.
In other news, on Monday morning, a joint board meeting with the town of Phillipston was canceled. The meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday evening to discuss the two towns’ emergency dispatch service and the possibility of regionalizing with the Gardner police department.
I would like to publicly thank Mr. Bennet for his service to the Town of Templeton. Being Chairman during a time of transition can take a great amount of time and effort. Jumping from the war in the Mideast into the mayhem here in Templeton could not have been easy. Thank you and good luck in your future endeavors. Hopefully the town will benefit in the future from the experience you have gained over the last few year.
ReplyDeletePete Farrell.
I think that Jeff took a cowards way out of office. Is there shit that is gonna hit the fan and Jeff has decided to run and hide? What does Jeff know about all the problems with the closing of the FY13 books? What does Jeff now about the shortage in the FY14 budget that he is not telling? Surely it can't be totally blamed on computer programs. Those programs could have been replaced during the FY. And why did Jeff work so hard with Mayor Hawke trying to dissolve our dispatch? I think Jeff has not done anything to improve the environment within the town rather he and Julie have made that divide larger. Maybe now we can get some leadership that will benefit the town.
ReplyDeleteYou sure do come across as Dumb Enough to fall for Whatever you are told. Grow some balls and use your own opinion.
DeleteI don't know Mr. Bennett's reasons for resigning, but i don't believe the words coward or running and hiding should ever be used when referring to him.
DeleteAhhh, "coward". Pot, meet Kettle. Why don't you run for selectman ND and prove what an expert you are?
DeleteI don't blame Jeff at all for leaving, who would want that job ?? all EVERYONE in this town does is complain, complain complain....along with the never ending crying......and in between all the complaining and crying everyone works against everyone......there is NO amount of money that makes the job worth it.
ReplyDeleteI say to hell with the town and good for Jeff !! his sanity will be better for it.
This town really makes me sick, if I could move I would in a heartbeat, all you fools do is fight each other and you get NOWHERE in anything you do, all you care about is your own agendas and yourselves.
You get what you deserve, and you all deserve NOTHING.
I am truly sorry that Jeff has decided to leave the BOS, but in my heart I know it is the best for him. I am sorry we put such a big load on his shoulders, especially when just coming home from Afghanistan, with no real down time, for him to deal with one war, to only to enter the one at home. Being on the Board, leaves a person wide open for criticism, because you can not please everyone, no matter how hard you try. Jeff is my friend and will always be, if I am so lucky! In the end, all we can do is the best we can, and hope it is enough. Bev.
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