Windham’s Town Council has a new council chairman to preside over weekly meetings held every Tuesday at the Windham Town Offices.
On Tuesday, councilors voted unanimously to elect councilor John MacKinnon, who is serving his second year on the council, to the position. Councilor Elizabeth Wisecup nominated MacKinnon for the chair’s role.
“He’ll make an excellent councilor,” Wisecup said. “He’s respectful and does his homework.”
The council also elected former chairman Robert Muir as vice chairman by a 6-to-1 vote. Councilor Carol Waig opposed the nomination after presenting councilor Michael Shaughnessy as a candidate.
MacKinnon spent his first meeting as chairman dealing with the purchase of two new police cruisers, awarding a bid for road paving and approving the transfer of drug-seizure money to the town treasury – all decided by unanimous votes by the council.
While MacKinnon moderated, Muir asked several questions of those presenting business before the council.
During his time as chairman, Muir remained relatively stoic. While he was never afraid to speak his mind, Muir often reserved his opinion as moderator so as to leave the debate up to his fellow councilors.
Muir said he’s happy to hand off the gavel and plans to be a more outspoken member of the council as vice chairman.
At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, MacKinnon slammed the gavel to adjourn, with a smile aside to Muir, and afterward, received handshakes and congratulations from fellow councilors.
“I wasn’t expecting this,” said MacKinnon, who admits he was a little nervous during his first meeting as chairman. “But I’m very honored. I really am.”
Former council chairman Robert Muir and new-elected chairman John MacKinnon shakes hands after Tuesday’s Windham Town Council meeting. MacKinnon was elected as chairman by a unanimous vote during that meeting and Muir was appointed the new vice chairman.Send questions/comments to the editors.
