The following positions were open for the length stated, and nominations were proposed and accepted:
Selectman: 1 (one) THREE year term; Earl Johnson nominated incumbent Christian Petersen which was accepted unopposed.
Assessor: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, Earl Johnson. The nomination was made contrary to the DOR‘s (Department of Revenue) “Recommendation 8” to separate the selectboard from the board of assessors. Click here to read the entire report from the DOR.
Recommendation 8: Appoint Separate Board of Assessors
We recommend that the town separate the duties of the board of assessors from those of selectmen, and make the assessors‘ positions appointed. Of the three members on the elected board of assessors in Holland, two also serve as selectmen. It is our understanding that the selectmen appointed two of their members to fill mid-term resignations on the board of assessors. Then, at a subsequent town election, the selectmen were voted-in, by their own right, to the board of assessors.
Due to the significant amount of responsibilities of the board of selectmen and the fundamentally different mission of the board of assessors, the assessors‘ responsibilities should be split from those of the selectmen. Therefore, at an appropriate point in the future, we feel that town meeting and town voters, under M.G.L. 41, s.1B, should convert the board of assessors from elected to appointed. The selectmen would then appoint a separate board of assessors.
The Holland Blog wrote about the DOR report in a separate piece, click here to read that report.
Board of Health: 1 (one) ONE year term; nominee, Tom Baltazar, he served before on the BOH. 1 (one) TWO year term; nominee, Raymond Korny 1 (one THREE year term; nominee, incumbent Dave Kowalski, he is a longtime member of the BOH
Cemetery: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, incumbent Patricia Caron
Constable: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominees, Richard Polverari and Albert West
Library Trustees: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, incumbent Janet Mullins
Planning board: 1 (one) FIVE year term; nominees, incumbent Lynn Arnold, and Howard Fife 1 (one) FOUR year term; nominees, Richard Polverari and Michael Kennedy 1 (one) ONE year term; nominees, Scott Gendreau and Don Sanders Jr.
School Committee: 2 (two) THREE year terms; nominee, Steven Burns and Francis Reilly for one position, and Susan Kennedy and Richard McKeen for the second position.
Sealer of Weights and Measures: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, incumbent Michael Kennedy
Tantasqua Rep: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, Steven Anderstrom
Treasurer: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, incumbent Linda Blodgett
Tree Warden: 1 (one) THREE year term; nominee, incumbent Brian Johnson
Water Commissioner: 1 (one) three year term; nominees, incumbent Tom LaPlante and Raymond Korny
Chad Brigham was first one of the nominees for the five year term to serve on the Planning Board. Earl Johnson obviously had other ideas and seemed to be bothered with the choice. He made a motion to reopen the nomination and the loyal groupe of his followers voted to reopen the already closed nomination and nominated Howard Fife and Lynn Arnold. Chad Brigham received three votes, Lynn Arnold 21, and Howard Fife 21 votes. The total of votes 45, while 44 voters were present. Patty Lawrence Perry, reporter for the Worcester Telegram, objected as she noticed Earl Johnson vote twice; once for Arnold and again for Fife. Selectman Earl Johnson stated “that‘s how we do it here, that‘s how we always did it.” He tried to silence her by stating that she was not even a voter and only attending the caucus as reporter. Interestingly Johnson is willing to create controversies where it is not even necessary. As reported, Chad Brigham only got three votes and there was no need for Johnson to vote twice.
According to town clerk Kristin LaPlante, the caucus is regulated by M.G.L. c.53, s.121. The section is silent on the question whether the same voter can vote for the same position and vote for two nominees. She also stated that Holland has no charter that would incorporate Roberts Rules of Order. According to LaPlante the town of Holland is a nonpartisan town. Bipartisan towns hold two caucuses, one by the Democrats and one by the Republicans.
Peter Frei