Southampton Select Board nixes special election, will likely go with 4-member board until May

By CAITLIN ASHWORTH

@kate_ashworth

Published: 07-24-2017 10:14 PM

SOUTHAMPTON — A vacant seat on the Select Board will likely remain unfilled until next May.

In an informal 2-2 vote earlier this month, the board’s four remaining members decided that it would be too expensive to hold a special election in October to temporarily fill the spot until the regular town election in May.

Former Select Board member Shannon Cutler resigned June 30, saying she was disgusted with Southampton’s politics. Her departure came during a movement by residents petitioning a recall election for her seat due to her absenteeism.

Under state law, the Select Board may or may not call an election to fill Cutler’s spot on the board, interim Town Administrator Robert Markel wrote in an email.

When it comes to filling Cutler’s seat, time and money come into play, Select Board Chairman Charlie Kaniecki said. If someone were to take the position in October, they would be finishing up Cutler’s three-year term and then need to rerun in May.

Kaniecki said it would cost the town about $2,000 to hold a special election. For just a half-year term, the costs are too high, selectman said.

“The math doesn’t make sense,” he said.

But there could be another way fill Cutler’s position at a special election in October, Select Board member Maureen Groden said.

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She said the Norris School Committee may try again at an override election. Last month, voters shot down a $110,000 override for funding additional staff and curriculum materials at the William E. Norris School.

The override election would need to be approved by voters at a special Town Meeting, which is typically held in October. If an override election is approved, Groden said voters could also vote for the fifth Select Board member, although that person would only serve for about five months.

Groden said the town should be represented by a five-person board, but understands holding an election specifically for the Select Board position may not be in the city’s finances.

“May is a long way away,” she said.

Another alternative would be a citizen petition signed by 200 voters, or 20 percent of registered voters to force an election, according to Markel.

Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.

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