SOUTHWEST HARBOR, July 12, 2022 - The select board voted unanimously tonight to name Carolyn Ball as the new chair after a year of tumult under George Jellison, which included hiring a felon as town manager, targeting a beloved lobster pound with strict parking rules on behalf of his sister, a neighbor, and picking fights with virtually every town committee.
Two new members, Natasha Johnson and Jim Vallette, wasted no time making their imprint.
They came prepared. They asked hard questions. They promised not to be automatic pass-throughs as was the case under Jellison.
As the board was debating whether to take the rest of the month off, as customary, Vallette wanted to probe the lack of a contract for recycling, bring back liaisons to committees (which Jellison had squashed) and consider a code of civil conduct for town board members.
Johnson agreed and the board voted unanimously to schedule its next meetings in two weeks.
The only sour note was Ball’s misreading of the room when she proposed to make Jellison the vice chair. Even Jellison thought that was a bad idea. The board voted unanimously to make Johnson the vice. chair. The top two seats are now held by women, along with the town manager and the town clerk.
Ball also appeared not to understand the town had installed recycling bins even though the QSJ reported that last week.
I will have a fuller report this weekend.
Alleluia! Interestingly, women own and operate a significant number of businesses in town. These latest governing decisions finally and more accurately reflect and support the realistic needs of the town. Elated that the dinosaurus select chair GIGI has been removed and relegated to fossil status.
Fare thee well and congratulations all!