(NOTE: This is the fourth installment in a five-part story. Look for the final article tomorrow. Get caught up by reading the first installment HERE, second installment HERE and third installment HERE.)
WILMINGTON, MA – “It was all politics.”
That’s what Finance Committee member John Doherty told his colleagues at their meeting at Town Hall last Wednesday night, when addressing the Board of Selectmen’s public criticisms surrounding recent appointments to the committee.
“I will be kind. It was all politics,” said Doherty. “A couple members of the Board of Selectmen made innuendos and insinuations that are totally false, which portrayed the committee and myself not in the best of light…. I detest politics.”
Doherty noted that Shawn Kelley’s appointment has been negated because the appointment was made before the seat was vacant. Kelley, who was not present at the meeting, will be re-applying, according to Doherty.
At the commencement of the committee’s annual reorganization, Doherty announced he would not seek another term as Chair and nominated Vice Chair Theresa Manganelli to succeed him.
Leigh Martinson, one of the committee’s newest members, suggested that if the committee wanted to gain the public trust back, “simply making the Vice Chair the Chair may not send the right message.”
Doherty responded by saying he didn’t think that the two Selectmen were “after” other committee members, just himself.
Martinson nominated Michelle Kincaid as Chair, saying he couldn’t think of a person more qualified to step into that role. Kincaid, also beginning her first term on the Committee, serves as the Director of Financial System and Operations in the City of Cambridge’s Finance Department.
Kincaid, while appreciative of the nomination, declined, saying she would need at least one year “under her belt” before assuming a leadership position with the committee.
Member Jonathan Eaton threw his support behind Manganelli, noting she’s already served as acting chair in the past when Doherty was absent.
“I think there’s some institutional knowledge retained by having Theresa as Chair,” said Eaton. “We’d be in good hands with her running these meetings and representing us at Town Meeting. I have all the confidence in the world in her.”
Eaton also stressed that the Selectmen’s concerns were surrounding the nomination process to the Finance Committee, not the actual work of the Finance Committee. Manganelli was not involved in that nomination process.
Member Bernie Nally agreed with Eaton’s line of thinking.
“We’ve worked with Theresa for a long time,” said Nally. “I’m not going to let the situation that happened [at the Selectmen’s Meeting] throw us out of quilter. We’re independent people and we’re supposed to be. Theresa is qualified and has been around.”
Manganelli was elected unanimously.
“Thank you very much,” said Manganelli, quickly adding “I think.” A humble Manganelli then thanked Doherty for his many years of service as Chair.
Bernie Nally was unanimously elected Vice Chair. Jonathan Eaton was unanimously elected Secretary. Nally had nominated Eaton for Vice Chair, but Eaton declined, saying he didn’t feel he was quite ready for the position yet.
The Committee also approved a year’s worth of meeting minutes. Doherty asked if it was possible for the Committee’s minutes to be voted on and posted online prior to Town Meeting. Town Manager Jeff Hull said it was “doable,” but it would be a function of the Committee’s secretary to generate the minutes and turn them around quickly. (Between July 2015 and June 2015, the Committee met 13 times, but the bulk of those meetings – 10 – occur in February and March.)
In response to any inquiry from Hull, several committee members expressed a desire to receive their financial status reports in a more consistent format and on a more regular basis.
(NOTE: Look for the final article on this story tomorrow.)
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