WILTON – The Selectboard Chairman, Paul Berkey, Jr., has resigned from the position, effective immediately.
Town Manager Rhonda Irish said Berkey sent a letter at the end of last month that he is resigning from the board and moving out of state on Oct. 1. He also said he was sorry for any inconvenience to the board. He did not give any further information and his announcement was unexpected, Irish said.
Berkey’s three-year term was to expire June 2017.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the board will be discussing the possible scenarios to fill the position and will be electing another person to serve as chair. Selectperson Tiffany Maiuri currently serves as the board’s vice chair.
The various options for completing Berkey’s term are to wait until the town’s next elections in June 2016 and operate with a four-member board until then or to hold an election to fill the position sooner.
According to state law, the minimum amount of allowable time for candidates to submit nomination papers is 24 days. If the Selectboard chooses that shortened filing period, an election could be held in time for the statewide Nov. 3 election day. Holding it then would be at no additional cost to the town.
The third option is to allow for the full 45-day period for candidates to submit their nomination papers and possibly holding a town election to fill the fifth Selectboard position at the beginning of the year.
Berkey was elected in 2012 to serve the two years remaining of former Selectboard member Paul Gooch, who moved to Wells. Berkey was re-elected to serve another three-year term and was appointed as the board’s chair this year.
