Select Board member Ken Swanton stunned the other members at the end of the July 10 board meeting by announcing that he was resigning. He said he planned to submit his written resignation to the town clerk the following morning.
The vacancy created by Swanton’s resignation will be filled through a Special Town Election to be held Tuesday, Nov. 6, concurrent with the state and federal election that day, but legally a separate event. Candidates can be nominated Monday, Sept. 17, at Town Caucus, or by submitting nomination papers with the signatures of at least 25 registered Harvard voters to the town clerk by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20.
When he announced his resignation, Swanton explained that he and his wife, Daria, had decided to sell their house and rent an apartment in Concord for a year while she continues to work as a teacher in the Sudbury school system. After that year, Daria Swanton plans to retire. They have no definite plans beyond that point, he said.
Given that Select Board members must be Harvard residents, Swanton said, he had no choice but to resign, having been unable to downsize within town. “There’s not a lot of diversity in housing here,” he quipped a little later, referring to a topic that comes up frequently at many public meetings.
Swanton said he had been involved in town government for 35 years, both in Harvard and earlier in Bolton. Speaking of the Select Board, he said, “This is a class board. It’s been an honor. I’ve really enjoyed serving.”
“We’ve enjoyed serving with you,” board member Kara Minar said, as expressions of shock turned to formal farewells.
