BETHEL — Former Town Manager Scott Cole appeared before the Board of Selectmen on Monday and asked why his application to fill a seat on the Airport Authority was rejected, as there are currently two vacant seats and he was the only applicant.
The board had rejected his application in mid-December.
“I want to say I’m still interested in being appointed. And I want to make sure you (have) the information from me at this point I didn’t already provide,” said Cole.
When selectman told him they needed nothing else, Cole continued, asking what their objection to his appointment was.
“My objection to your appointment is that your wife works for Maine Energy, the Airport Authority and the town of Bethel. That was my main reason. There are other reasons,” said Selectwoman Lori T. Swain. “There seems to be a lot of tension around you.”
“It’s nothing against your side,” said Selectman Lloyd W. Sweetser. “It’s just for the position. If it was for any other board, it probably would have been no problem with me.”
Late Monday night, following the board meeting, Cole issued a statement to the Bethel Citizen saying Swain’s “dark insinuation that somehow my appointment would compromise the public interest was slanderous,” impugning his reputation and that of his wife, Michele Cole, who is member of the board of selectmen.
According to Bethel’s official website, the Airport Authority is “responsible for the development of overall policies and long term plans for operation and development of the airport. The town manager, as airport manager, shall be responsible for implementation of these standards, policies and plans.” Cole argues that, as a previous town manager and previous airport manager, he is qualified the fill the vacancy.
In other news, a family has donated a memorial bench to the town and would like it placed in Davis Park along the riverwalk. Public Works Director Scott Sumner said, “I think there’s one slot with a moveable bench at the end of the retention pond, but we’ve been keeping that one because we end up moving it to take advantage of the snowmobile trail in the wintertime.”
Sumner explained there was no reason they couldn’t slide the other bench out of the way and slide it back in the spring.
Selectwoman Cole made a motion to accept the proposal as presented, and that the placement of the bench would be determined by the public works director and the town manager, which passed unanimously.
The newly hired planning board assistant has given her notice. The planning board needs someone to do the minutes, and is currently looking for a planning assistant to fill the open position.
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