WILTON – The Selectboard moved to fill the seat vacated by the departing board chair Tuesday evening, scheduling a special election for Jan. 5, 2016.
The board voted unanimously to schedule the special town meeting after Chair Paul Berkey, Jr. sent a letter at the end of September, informing the town that he was resigning from the board and moving out of state on Oct. 1.
The board had three options to fill the seat previously occupied by Berkey, who had 1.5 years remaining on his term. One option was to simply leave the seat unoccupied until the regular town meeting election in June 2016. Another option would utilize a special, expedited nomination process that would have required papers due back by Oct. 21 in order to make the Nov. 3 statewide vote. The third option would schedule a special election in January 2016 or later, using the typical nomination period.
Town Manager Rhonda Irish recommended against the expedited nomination process, which would only leave a few days for residents to collect signatures and submit the paperwork. The savings the town would garner in holding the election on Nov. 3, when polls are open anyway, is approximately $200.
Selectman D. Scott Taylor said that he felt it was important to fill the open seat prior to the budget process, which begins in February.
“You really want to get someone on board before swinging into budget season,” Taylor said.
The board voted to schedule a special election with the typical nomination process, choosing the earliest possible dates in order to install the new board member in early January. Nomination papers will be available next Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the town office. Those papers will be due back at the town office by Nov. 20. The special election will be held on Jan. 5, 2016.
The newly-elected selectperson would serve the remainder of Berkey’s 3-year term, which expires in June 2017.
Irish said that it was possible one other item may appear on the Jan. 5, 2016 special election, relating to the rezoning of a lot on Route 2 from residential to commercial. At least 100 people would need to vote in the special election to effect such a change. If fewer than that many voted, the rezoning would need to wait for the June town meeting.
The board also chose new officers, with selectperson and former vice chair, Tiffany Maiuri nominated to serve as the board’s new chair. Taylor, a former chair, will serve as the board’s vice chair.
