Select board debates reappointment policy after citizen concerns
NORWELL – The Norwell Select Board is weighing changes to its policy for reappointing volunteers to town committees after a resident criticized the process as lacking transparency.
Board members on Aug. 6 held a lengthy discussion about how reappointments should be handled in the future, including whether all incumbents should automatically receive formal consideration. The conversation followed recent controversy over how committee members were not reappointed.
Board member Lorenda Layne said she wanted the process to be clearer and more consistent.
“I think that the way we handle one committee is now we should handle all committees and I just think especially as we're reviewing our policies, creating a policy manual that it's just a good time to talk about how we handle these things,” Layne said.
Other members agreed that volunteers should not be surprised by decisions. Member Andy Reardon suggested using a “hold” process, similar to Town Meeting, so concerns about an applicant could be addressed openly before a final vote.
Board Chair Peter Smellie noted that some committees, such as zoning and conservation, require longer learning curves and should be considered differently than those with fewer regulatory responsibilities.
Town Administrator Darleen Sullivan said she has in the past met privately with volunteers to mediate concerns and was open to continuing that role if needed.
At the beginning of the meeting, former Historical Commission chair Laurie Detwiler who was not reappointed this year, addressed the board directly, sharing her concerns.
“One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was this run towards embarrassment. And as a citizen for 29 years, I am embarrassed. I am very concerned about the actions and inactions of this body,” Detwiler said.
She argued that problems should not wait until the end of a term to be addressed.
“If you truly believe that a group is highly dysfunctional, if you wait until reappointment, that's really too late. So if that was a true concern, then you're just kind of pushing that concern down the road rather than coming in and saying, ‘I think we have a problem, let's try to fix it’,” Detwiler said.
The board did not take a vote on a new policy but indicated the issue would continue to be reviewed in future meetings.