WEST NEWBURY – The SelectBoard with only two members, instead of the usual three, will begin Thursday to interview candidates for the town’s next Manager.
The SelectBoard plans to announce this week the candidates who made the list to be interviewed.
Chair Wendy Reed and member Barry Fogel decided last week not to call a special election to fill the vacancy created when Chris Wile resigned as a selectman last week. There was no funds in the budget for a special election, which would cost $6,700 plus the expense of town employees to support the special election.
“As we did not anticipate this cost during the budgeting process, it is not available in any approved budget line. Another factor in this decision was the intensive staff effort required to bring a new Select Board member up to speed at the same time we are transitioning to a new Town Manager,” the board said in a statement.
Reed and Fogel said they are confident they can fulfill the duties of the Select Board, as well as support the Town Manager transition. Should 200 registered voters disagree and submit a written petition, the town is required under state law to hold a special election.
This request for a special election would have to be received by the Select Board more than 100 days before the next scheduled election in May.
Wile, who served 30 years on the SelectBoard, the Planning Board, the School Committee and the Whittier Tech Regional Agreement Advisory Committee, announced his resignation, saying “I have realized that there are other adventures and opportunities that I need to address so I have made the very difficult decision to step away from town government.”
It was the second member of the SelectBoard to resign this year. Ross Capolupo resigned last spring, and his vacancy was filled at the annual town election held on May 4, when Fogel was elected. 1
