Kelley Named Chair After Marshfield Select Board Reorganization

Eric Kelley was named chair of the Marshfield Select Board on Monday following a reorganization that included a notable silence, as multiple motions by board member Stephen Darcy failed to receive support.

The meeting was the board’s first following the annual town election, where newcomer Trish Simpson defeated incumbent chair Lynne Fidler by 340 votes.

Darcy, who had been serving as vice chair, opened the reorganization process by attempting to fill the board’s leadership roles. He nominated Kelley for vice chair, then for chair, and then nominated Simpson as clerk. Each motion was met with silence.

“All right. Hearing none, I will make a motion to nominate Eric as our chair. Is there a second?” Darcy said, pausing briefly before continuing on. “All right. I will make a motion to nominate Trish as our clerk. Is there a second?”

No second was offered for any of the nominations.

“It seems like we have a vacancy across the board,” Darcy noted. He explained that traditionally the newest board member becomes clerk, the second-year member becomes vice chair, and the third-year member serves as chair — but emphasized the board was free to choose otherwise.

Eventually, Simpson nominated Kelley.

Darcy seconded the motion, allowing discussion to proceed. Simpson used the opportunity to express her concerns with both her colleagues.

“I feel like I cannot in good conscious nominate Mr. Darcy because of the way he has treated our residents in the past,” she said. “And also he has been going through some personal issues and I’m afraid that this might take away from him being chair, his responsibilities.”

She also addressed reservations about Kelley.

“I do have some reservations with Eric being chair in the fact that talking to a lot of the residents, they’re not happy with the way he has voted in the past,” Simpson said.

Despite those concerns, the board voted 3-0 to name Kelley chair.

Kelley then nominated Darcy to serve as vice chair. The motion passed with Kelley and Darcy voting in favor and Simpson abstaining. Darcy then nominated Simpson to serve as clerk. Kelley seconded and the motion passed unanimously.