Tempers flared at Tuesday night’s Board of Selectmen meeting, when Leo Blair and Tim Clark exchanged heated words about procedures for new committee appointments. Blair and Clark, along with selectmen Lucy Wallace, Peter Warren, and Ron Ricci, were interviewing Cindy Russo and Debbie Ricci as candidates for the two vacant spots on town’s Capital Committee. Blair moved to vote on an appointment but Wallace and Clark objected, stating that the selectmen still had a third résumé to review before making any decisions.
Clark added that he felt the selectmen had done a poor job so far of maintaining an orderly system for communicating with and interviewing residents who volunteer for committee positions.
—Ron Ricci
Blair shouted at Clark, “This is not legitimate,” continuing that he believed Clark was focusing inappropriately on the procedural elements of the committee appointments in order to mask his general disapproval of the applicants.
“You’re pretending to believe what you’re saying,” Blair said to Clark
“It’s amateurish and impolite to imply what my perceptions are,” Clark shouted back, “and I don’t think [your accusations are] appropriate.”
“I’ve tried for months to codify a process [for vetting committee applicants],” Clark added. “What I’ve been looking for is a simple process by which all parties are notified and present. That has not happened in the past. That has been deliberately avoided and deferred.”
After a few more exchanges, the selectmen regrouped and continued to address town business, ultimately voting to appoint both Russo and Ricci to the Capital Committee.
A few minutes later, however, Blair revisited the conflict, making a motion that he step down as the chairman of the Board of Selectmen, with Ron Ricci to move into the chairman position. When none of the selectmen seconded the motion, Blair proposed a new motion that he step down as chairman, to be replaced by Peter Warren. A long silence met this motion also, with no selectmen seconding it.
Warren expressed his wish that Blair reconsider his decision. “Please sleep on it,” Warren said.
Blair then apologized for his actions and explained his reasoning. “I apologize, and I shouldn’t have said what I said to both of you [Clark and Wallace].” He added, “Tim and I went at it, which I regret. I have an immense amount of respect for Lucy and Tim. I often disagree, but I try to make my disagreements on the merits of the case.”
Blair continued by expressing his frustration with what he described as the unwieldy nature of the political process: “I do believe that I am not good at the political part of the process because I have no patience for it. I have no patience for the bull room, for the performances, and for the pretense. I have a full life, a wonderful family, and a challenging career. I love this town so much, but not so much that I want to go home with it.”
Ron Ricci spoke in defense of Blair, adding his wish that Blair continue as chair. “Leo is an action-oriented guy,” he said. “He’s used to looking at things and seeing how things should be. I know sometimes [the political process] is frustrating, but it’s kind of like being on Survivor all the time. When you go home you should hold your head up high. Without your leadership as chairman we are going to be hurting. And, darn it, I want you to stay on the board.”
Clark added his support. “I’ll second Ron’s comments,” he said. “I have not looked forward to the exchange we had. I felt that there’s some tension that’s evolved because we’ve gone through some difficult periods recently … And don’t take my commentary or criticism as anything other than looking for absolute excellence in each and every one of us. I think you’re doing a monumental task. The challenge is that it’s a five-member board. It would be so easy if it were a one-member board, but it’s isn’t.”
With some repair work done, the meeting closed with Blair still chairing the Board of Selectmen and a boardwide acknowledgment of the frustrations of collaboration and the political process.
“I hate everything about politics,” Blair said. “I think I should just move to Ayer.”
