Minor conflicts of interest are a fact of life in small-town government. But Buckfield Selectman Chairman Floyd “Chip” Richardson should have abstained from voting on a revised budget for the Rescue Department in early July.
Now he seems likely to face a special town vote to recall him from office.
Resident Jason Rowe initiated a petition that was signed by 153 residents seeking Richardson’s recall after Richardson voted to amend what many town residents thought was a rescue department budget worked out and voted upon at earlier town meeting.
Voters approved a budget that eliminated a $4,850 increase in Rescue Chief Linda Buck’s salary and a proposed part-time rescue department position.
That budget motion was made by resident Tony Bachelder and passed 43-29. “The people had spoken,” Bachelder told the Sun Journal Friday. Voters wanted neither the raise for Buck nor the part-time rescue position.
Less than two weeks later, Buckfield Town Manager Glen Holmes came back with a revised budget that included the items Bachelder believes voters specifically cut.
Richardson and another selectman voted to include the money, in essence overriding the decision made at town meeting.
Bachelder says Richardson should never have voted on the rescue budget because he is assistant rescue chief and is paid an annual $2,120 stipend for that work. What’s more, Bachelder says Richardson and Buck have a relationship outside of work.
He’s right; Richardson should have abstained.
Now Rowe, Bachelder and others believe he should resign, and they have obtained 153 petition signatures asking that a recall ordinance be established and a vote scheduled.
Of course, Richardson could still do the right thing — call for another vote on the matter and, this time, abstain, in effect withdrawing Buck’s raise.
He could also resign or await the result of a recall vote, options that will result in months of uncertainty and dissension.
A public hearing on the recall ordinance has been set for Aug. 3, according to Bachelder, with a vote to adopt the ordinance and schedule a vote slated for Sept. 7.
Regardless of what Richardson does, Bachelder says he and the other petition-passers are moving forward with the ordinance.
“This is something the town needs,” he said.
Apparently so.
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