GEORGETOWN – After hearing from several residents about the way SelectBoard Chair Robert Hoover voted on reappointing Conservation Commission Chair Chris Candia, we asked him for a more in-depth explanation.
Here is his response:
“I’m not surprised people questioned my vote. I get that and support their opinion. I voted no because of Chris Candia’s answer. Her answer is the reason why I voted no. When you watch the video of our meeting beginning at 41:38, I clearly ask Chris, more than once, if she would consider, not commit, but consider giving up the chair to any new appointee.
“I never mentioned Daryle’s name. In fact, at that point in the meeting, we didn’t even know who would be appointed. We hadn’t conducted any other interviews. Further, my only reference about the other candidates was “if qualified” and “over a period of time.”
“In my view, never once did Chris take full responsibility for her answer and tell me what she thought, divorced from anything else. Her answer was always qualified. At first it appeared like Chris was avoiding answering my question by saying, ‘the future is always open.’ This was repeated not once, but twice more. I asked the same question and she gave me the same answer. Fast forward to the end of my questioning. I asked once more the same question. Chris replied, ‘“that’s up to the commission.’
“All Chris had to do was answer my question by saying – yes I would consider giving up the chair. I suspect she thought she did. For me, she did not. That is why I voted no.” ♦
