By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — Longtime Select Board member Stephen J. O’Leary was elected chairman for the next year during the board’s reorganizational meeting on Wednesday, May 7.
The meeting was held via Zoom only, therefore all votes were recorded via a roll call.
The vote in favor of O’Leary was 4-1 with board members Vincenzo Stuto, Rich Wallner, Catherine Morrin and O’Leary voting in favor and board member Nick Masse casting his vote for Stuto.
During the nomination process, Stuto, who is the outgoing chairman, nominated O’Leary to succeed him, seconded by Wallner.
Masse then nominated Stuto for chairman but the nomination failed for lack of a second. With no other nominations proposed and O’Leary the only candidate for the post, Town Administrator Mike Gilleberto called for a vote to close the nomination process. Wallner made the motion to close nominations, seconded by Stuto. The vote to close was 5-0.
Gilleberto then called for a roll call vote by name for each member’s preferred candidate. In recording the vote for the record, Gilleberto stated that he had noted Masse’s preference. “I’m not really sure how to record the vote for Mr. Stuto where it wasn’t seconded but I have it noted accordingly as to the vote that was cast,” he said.
Gilleberto then turned over the gavel to O’Leary who called for nominations for vice chairman and clerk.
“To my colleagues, I appreciate the support and look forward to working with all of you to ensure a very successful year moving forward. We have a lot of challenges, both short-term and long-term, and we’re all going to be looking forward to making some progress working with other boards, committees and commissions to effectuate what’s in the town’s best interest,” O’Leary said.
With the floor open for nominations for vice chairman, Masse nominated himself for the post. “Mr. Chairman, my first year in the Select Board I learned that being a chair and a vice chair allows you to gain a little bit more insight into things like the Financial Planning Team, Capital Improvement Planning Committee — which I believe I am probably the most valuable of us five to be on — and I have confidence in my abilities to do so,” he said. The nomination failed for lack of a second.
Stuto then nominated Wallner for vice chairman, seconded by Morrin. Stuto motioned to close nominations for the post, seconded by Morrin. The vote to close nominations passed 4-1 with Masse opposed.
The roll call vote for Wallner as vice chair was unanimous.
With nominations for clerk now on the table, Stuto joked that he did not want it. (He had previously served as clerk during Covid.) Masse jokingly nominated Stuto for the post, which did not receive a second.
Masse subsequently nominated Morrin for the position of clerk, which was seconded by Wallner. “I’m 1-for-4. I’m a Hall of Famer in baseball!” Masse quipped regarding his nomination record.
Morrin was voted clerk by a 5-0 vote.
O’Leary then requested that Gilleberto circulate the current liaison assignments to all of the board members so that each member could review it. He noted that all liaison assignments previously held by former board member Liane Gonzalez, who did not run for reelection, have opened up, while other assignments would shift due to the changes in chairmanship and vice chairmanship.
“I’ll be contacting each member to discuss the liaison assignments and then hopefully in the next meeting or two we will get them assigned,” O’Leary said.
The next regularly scheduled Select Board meeting is Monday, May 19.
The board’s informational hearing on the June 9 Town Meeting warrant is Monday, June 2 rather than the last meeting in May because town meeting is being held on the second Monday in June. All residents will have the printed copy of the warrant delivered to their homes by the end of next week. It is currently at the printers.
O’Leary noted that the later informational hearing date will provide voters with the opportunity to have the most current information regarding any impacts to the proposed budget due to any legislative action that takes place between now and then. “It would be helpful for the public to tune in and know what we know on a timely basis,” O’Leary said.