HOLDEN — A vacant seat on the Wachusett Regional School Committee was filled last week after the Board of Selectmen interviewed five residents who sought the position.
Benjamin Andrews was chosen to fill the position that will expire at the next election, when the number of representatives will drop and Holden’s share will go from 10 to six members, with the town retaining its majority power through weighted voting.
“We had five completely qualified applicants, and some were overqualified,” Chairman Anthony Renzoni said at the Dec. 12 meeting of the Board of Selectmen.
The board has the authority to appoint individuals to fill town representative vacancies on the school board.
The interviews were conducted prior to the start of the regular meeting.
A couple of residents who had viewed the interviews spoke on the appointments, one criticizing the process and choice, and another saying that residents were not able to weigh in, both referring to politicizing the process and appointments.
In addition to Andrews, the others interviewed were Erik Scheinfeldt, Judith Newton, Patricia Tranter and Peter Singley.
At the same meeting, the board also unanimously appointed citizens to several boards: Lance Lazar to the Historic District Commission; Charles Skillings to the Historical Commission, and Elizabeth Parent to the Conservation Commission.
Filling seats on the Agricultural Commission was more involved.
Renzoni said he was opposed to Maleah Gustafson being appointed, saying she had been “engaging in activism on the local level, spreading misinformation and hearsay,” especially on the Dawson recreation project, and “attempting to derail the project before she was willing to listen to information.”
Noting “I’m a no vote. It’s my ax to grind,” Renzoni added that, “I want someone with an open mind on these committees.”
In the end, the board voted to appoint Nancy Rocheleau as well as Gustafson to the Commission on a 3-2 vote, with Renzoni and Stephanie Mulroy opposed.
