BOS-04-23-02

Source page 1

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES
APRIL 23, 2002
MEMORIAL HALL
Present: John J. Connolly, Chainnan, Victor D. Del Vecchio, Vice-Chairman, Avril T.
Elkort, Clerk, William T. Friel, Town Executive Secretary, Christina A. Carlton,
Secretary. Planning Board members who were also present were Robert MacDonald,
Peter Pineo, Jeremy Comeau and David Merrigan.
Chainnan Connolly called the meeting to order at 7: 11 P.M.
The Planning Board joined the Board of Selectmen at the head table.
PLANNING BOARD APPOINTMENT
There were three candidates for this position as a result of a vacancy created when Mr.
Delvecchio was elected Selectmen. Martin Williams, Paul Alfano and
P. Christopher Podgurski all have requested appointment to fill the unexpired one year
term. Mrs. Alfano was present as her husband was out of town on business. Mr.
Connolly invited each candidate to express their interest in being on the Planning Board,
and Mrs. Alfano to speak on her husband's behalf, which she declined.
After hearing Mr. Williams and Mr. Podgurski, Mr. Connolly accepted comments from
both Boards. Mr. Pineo stated he had been inundated with citizen calls stating the
appearance of conflict of interest if Mr. Podgurski were to be appointed. He feels it is the
State Ethics Commission's role to detennine if a conflict of interest is present, and is not
up to either of the Boards present tonight to do so.
Mrs. Elkort agrees with Mr. Pineo. She has contacted the State Ethics COlmnission to
learn more thoroughly what the Conflict of Interest Laws are and is awaiting a return call.
However, she and Mr. Connolly had made a decision long before the election that they
would appoint the person who received the second largest number of votes.
Mr. Del Vecchio stated he has also received many calls, letters and has been approached
on the street. He feels that the Town's practice has been to select the candidate with
serious voter support and who had the second highest number of votes. Mr. Delvecchio
also commented there was only a difference of 14 votes for this position. Mr. Delvecchio
does share the opinion of Mr. Pineo and Mrs. Elkort regarding the appearance of conflict
of interest and has asked Town Counsel, on behalf of the Board of Selectmen, to produce
an easy to understand conflict of interest law primer which will be distributed on a
periodic basis to all appointed and elected officials and to be made available to the public
for the purpose of advising everyone of the do's and don'ts of conflict of the conflict of
interest law in Massachusetts. Mr. Del Vecchio stated that Mr. Podgurski has been a
respected member of the Planning Board for seven years. Mr. Delvecchio supports the
appointment of Mr. Podgurski to the Planning Board for one year to complete the term
vacated when Mr. Del Vecchio was elected as a Selectman.