May 27 - Town Meeting and Election of Town Moderator

Selectmen say all three candidates are qualified
By George Morse

SEEKONK - The position of town moderator wasn’t filled by the board of selectmen last week and is currently on track to remain vacant until the next annual town meeting on May 27.

After kicking around a number of options, the selectmen decided they will let residents pick their moderator when the town meeting opens up. Before any discussion takes place on any warrant article, an election will be held to determine who will lead the meeting.

Former town moderator David Parker, who previously served the post for 17 years, has stepped down from the position after being elected to the board of selectmen in April. Before choosing to let the moderator be picked at town meeting, the selectmen had considered making the appointment themselves. They asked any town residents who might be interested to submit talent bank forms to the town administrator’s office. When three candidates dropped off the forms, the selectmen unanimously voted to let the people of Seekonk decide who will run the May meeting.

The three candidates who dropped off talent bank forms included Michael Durkay, chairman of the Seekonk Public Library Board of Trustees, Seekonk Police Department Sergeant and member of the Memorial Day Parade committee Michelle Hines and Harold Devine, who previously served as town moderator before Mr. Parker’s tenure.

Ultimately, however, the town will be able to nominate and elect whoever they wish to the position. Mr. Parker said allowing residents to pick their moderator would be the best way to go after the three talent bank forms came in. He said initially he was worried that if the decision was simply left to town meeting, without any talent bank forms being solicited, no one would show up to volunteer for the spot. When three candidates stepped forward, Mr. Parker’s concerns were alleviated, though it didn’t make a potential selection any easier.

“The three names before us tonight would all make excellent moderators,” Mr. Parker said. “I can’t decide.”

Mr. Parker also said that since the town moderator position is an elected one, a selectmen appointment of the individual after town meeting would be representative of the peoples’ will. Selectman Michael Brady said he’d be “moved” by what voters decide at the meeting, but not “compelled” by it. Mr. Brady said he’d like to wait and see how the moderator performs before making an appointment.

I think the issue of Town Moderator has been resolved ahead of time due to one candidate removing his name from consideration and one candidate having surgery about the time of the meeting. I heard Dr. Devine is the Moderator.

I was unable to attend the meeting but did watch some of it on tape. I would be interested in peoples opinions of 1) Dr. Devine's job, and 2) any of the articles. You can watch on TV but do not get a true sense of what was going on.

Also - it seemed like they barely had a quorum.

IMO, Dr Devine did the job he was appointed to do. I think there was an issue with the voter's "stage right". I guess Dr Devine couldn't see and suggested those folks needed to be a bit more animated to be acknowledged. So those who think they want to speak when we reconvene in June, should make a point to sit in the center.

The meeting had extremely poor attendance. Carol Bragg made a point of it several times last night, suggesting that enough was not done (by the Town Clerk's office?)through the media and on the town website to publicize the meeting to all registered voters. She suggested a mailing to all registered voters before every town meeting.
I thought Dr. Devine did well as Moderator. I cannot imagine others going up there without having done it before. Some issues got quite complicated and he seemed to handle them all well - except the one involving Mr.Cavaco and his requested amendment(s) to the cell tower article. I agree with Mr. Parker that the Moderator had said he was breaking the amendments into 2 separate ones to be discussed separately , but later the TM said he did not 'accept' the second part of the amendment for discussion. I don't think that was understood by anyone at the meeting.