Weeks of delays in achieving quorums necessary to hold a joint meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board and Mattapoisett Board of Health ended when, on October 30, the boards came together. They met to ostensively make a final decision on who would temporarily fill the vacant seat on the Board of Health. A seat became vacant when Alexandra Nicolosi was compelled to resign due to her relocation to another town.
As has been the custom, when an elected seat of this board is vacated, the Select Board makes a temporary appointment after conferring with the remaining members of the Board of Health and accepting letters of interest from the public.
When the boards attempted to meet, the Board of Health failed to produce a quorum. There was some discussion about Douglas Schneider and Kathleen Eckland, the two residents who had expressed written interest in temporarily filling the seat.
Long-time Board of Health member and Chairman Carmello Nicolosi declined voting on a replacement and instead said, “take it to the ballot.” He said he wanted to have the slot voted on rather than a temporary appointment being made.
Board of Health member Michelle Bernier wanted to discuss the choices, but Select Board Chairman Tyler McAllister said that was not the point of the meeting; that discussion had previously taken place, and they were moving on to pick between Eckland and Schneider. Bernier said that discussion had not taken place. But with Nicolosi declining to vote, opting instead to put it on a ballot, an impasse ensued.
In a follow-up with Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, he said that the Select Board could call for a special election, but that no decision had been made.
Mattapoisett Select Board
Mattapoisett Board of Health
By Marilou Newell