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You are here: Home / News / Halifax Selectmen puzzle over positions

Halifax Selectmen puzzle over positions

June 25, 2015 By Abram Neal, Express Correspondent

Interviews, appointments and re-appointments took some some shuffling, but all were assigned by meeting’s close

Halifax Selectmen named Mel Conroy to the open position on the Finance Committee at their Tuesday night meeting.

After interviewing two candidates for the one FinCom open position at their meeting June 9, the Board interviewed its final candidate for that committee, William McAvoy, on Tuesday, June 23.

Derrick Bennet, one of the three candidates originally running for the one open position on the board, withdrew his candidacy after his interview at the June 9 meeting, leaving McAvoy and Conroy.

Selectmen seem to be working with a large talent pool for this year’s major appointed positions, and appear to be trying to find the right fit with each personality and position.

As Selectmen interviewed McAvoy, one concern was his ability to give the time necessary for a Finance Committee position. McAvoy is a busy businessman, and has numerous family obligations as well.

Conversely, he is extremely qualified, according to all members of the Board, for many committees in town and is very enthusiastic to serve. “I make time for all of my commitments,” said McAvoy.

FinCom requires members to serve the town on no other board or department, as they must recommend budgets for those boards and departments. 

Hoping that McAvoy would take the opportunity to serve the town in more than one way, for now, he was appointed to an opening on the Capital Planning Committee.

Mel Conroy was thus appointed to the open position on FinCom.

Also, the position of Building Inspector has been vacated by Selectman Thomas Millias, and the Board has hired Robert Piccirilli of Halifax as his replacement. Piccirilli is currently an assistant building inspector for the town. He has served as a Halifax employee for 15 years, and serves on several boards and committees.

Millias abstained from all interviewing or voting for this position, as his position as Building Inspector will not technically end until June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

While major appointments to committees and boards that keep the town functioning seem to be in place, the Beautification Committee, on the other hand, is in disarray. One previous member asked not to be reappointed and the committee has been expanded from three members to five, leaving three vacancies.

Furthermore, $476 left unspent from fiscal year 2015 will be transferred from the committee to the general fund if not spent by the end of fiscal year 2015, Tuesday, June 30, thus the Board acted quickly.

They interviewed Debra Scioscia for one of the new openings, and heard some ideas she had for an all-season garden that has been in the works for the front of Town Hall for some time. Scioscia was quickly appointed.

The Board also re-appointed Amy Troup Greely and Jessica Raduc as well to the committee, still leaving two vacancies available.

The final re-appointment was Maureen Rogers, to the Wage and Personnel Board.

All of the appointments and re-appointments mentioned above were unanimous.

Selectmen Troy Garron and Tom Millias wished to send a letter of encouragement to the owner of the Monponsett Street property who has made significant progress in reducing the amount of junk on the front lawn. Selectman Chairman Kim Roy agreed, if the letter wasn’t too thankful, as the property should have been kept properly in the first place, according to Roy.

Finally, the Board went into Executive Session.  The agenda listed the reason as ““Chief Broderick – ‘last drink reports,’”  yet when the Chairman called for the Executive Session with the Police Chief she stated it was for “discussions of the security of the Town.” Last drink reports, or, Place of Last Drink (PLD) reports are self-stated reports of where an individual was last served alcohol, given to police usually after being pulled over for suspected OUI.

The state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) keeps track of this data that is then disseminated to the various cities and towns in the Commonwealth and to the police. Selectman Garron, a retired police officer, has been vocal about the unreliability of such reports in past meetings.

It was not known at press time, after contacting the ABCC press office, the state Attorney General’s press office and the Halifax Police whether this information is considered public. It is also unknown at this time how it is related to the “security of the Town.”

Selectmen, without identifying individual offenders, but identifying individual establishments that over-served, have discussed PLD reports in the past at open meetings.

In other news:

• Debra Trotta, representing the Lyonville Tavern, was granted a weekday public entertainment license.

• The second round of treatments on both East and West Monponsett Ponds will begin on Tuesday, June 30.

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