On being a selectman

I thought that I would try a new line of writing, that would give a flavor of what it is like to be a selectman, by describing the things that I do as a selectman.  Much of being a selectman is just the many meetings, but much of it is also work done away from the public meetings.

Some weeks seem more about surviving, because of the extra time commitments caused by town meeting.  Last week on Tuesday I attended the Energy Committee meeting because I wanted to hear their discussion about municipal photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays, because I have come to think solar offers the town a money making opportunity that we need to investigate.  That caused me to miss the first half of the SHERC meeting that night, but I caught the second half, which got over at 10:15 PM.  Both Wednesday and Thursday evenings I had three hour meetings related to a scholarship because of my being a selectman.  Sunday I marched in the Medfield Youth Baseball and Softball parade – a fun and happy event.

This week looks to be a long one too, starting last night with the Annual Town Meeting (6:30 – 10:00 PM), tonight is a regular Board of Selectmen meeting, and tomorrow night will be the completion of the  scholarship meetings.

This morning I touched base by telephone with (1) the chair of the Dover selectmen to share with her the results of our ATM vote of the Bay Colony Rail Trail (Dover has an ATM warrant article on the Bay Colony Rail Trail next Monday evening), and (2) Mike Sullivan to confirm the status of the individuals being considered for the new committee to study the Medfield State Hospital purchase, related a resident complaint heard last night, and to remind about the need to get the DCAM documents on its sale of state properties to other towns.  Then I reported back to the resident on the complaint.