The saga continues.
In Lyman this week, Selectmen Leo Ruel and Norman Hutchins voted to advertise for a transfer station manager, and Ruel said if the current operator and Selectman Steve Marble wants the job, he is welcome to apply.
In June, Marble was elected to the board by a narrow margin despite his position as a town employee working at the transfer station.
Since that time, the issue has been a hot one in Lyman as Ruel and Hutchins say Marble’s position on the board and employment by the town are incompatible. The two filed a lawsuit on behalf of the town against Marble in July.
Ruel and Hutchins say Marble’s membership on the three-person board sets them up for becoming deadlocked if Marble has to recuse himself for transfer-related items and budget issues. Marble has maintained he is not a department head and does not have disciplinary authority over the three part-time transfer station employees ”“ those issues are brought to the selectmen. If and when such disciplinary issues arise, he, along with the other selectmen would act on the issue.
It seems Ruel and Hutchins are set on getting Marble off of the board, and advertising for a transfer station “manager” is just a round-about way of ensuring Marble will only be able to have one of the two positions in question.
Recently, Ruel said the lawsuit is being pursued because he and Hutchins believe that while a town employee can be on the board, the manager of a town department, who submits a budget, cannot serve. As operator, Marble does oversee transfer station staff and submit the department budget.
The selectmen, however, just seem to be making a big mess.
A citizen’s petition to rescind the town’s legal budget has been submitted, but Ruel and Hutchins say they’ll just vote against it. In turn, residents are now calling for the recall of Hutchins from the board of selectmen, and have submitted a petition to do so.
The town may find itself in a difficult situation if selectmen are recalled or found ineligible to serve. As well, it may expend its legal budget and be left with many very unhappy residents.
Instead of all the drama, Ruel and Hutchins would be better served to listen to their constituents and stop spending taxpayer dollars on a lawsuit that many oppose. After all, those people put them in office, and it seems they are ready to exercise their right to kick them out of office as well.
The town would also be well-served to have a charter in place clearly outlining who may or may not serve on the board of selectmen.
It remains to be seen whether this issue will be solved anytime soon, but it is clear that this is a no-win situation so far.
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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham, on behalf of the Journal Tribune editorial board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via e-mail at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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