JAY – Parker Kinney announced his resignation from the Board of Selectman on Monday night. The effective date is Nov. 2.

Kinney, 68, has served as a selectman since 1995, except for one year during that period.

He served as interim town manager from September 1998 to January 1999.

The announcement was emotional for all, Town Manager Ruth Marden said Tuesday.

Kinney has difficulty breathing and depends on three to five liters of oxygen a day to help him breathe.

During Monday night’s meeting, Kinney’s oxygen machine beat at a steady tempo when he was breathing regularly and slowed when he breathed irregularly.

Kinney was a boiler tender in the Navy from 1955 to 1961 and filled the oil tanks on an aircraft carrier stateside and overseas. He has asbestos in both his lungs, Kinney said Tuesday.

“I’m short of breath,” he said. “I can hardly walk to my truck.” He plans to enter therapy to help him breathe better, he said.

Kinney made his resignation announcement after selectmen exited an executive session on a pending legal matter.

There was no action on the latter, Marden said.

Marden has been driving Kinney to and from meetings for some time.

Last night was a little emotional, Kinney said. “It was my last night out with the boys,” Kinney said. “I told those guys last night that this is the best damned board I’ve served on.” Kinney said Marden shed a few tears.

Marden said it was clear from the nice things said Monday night that the “whole board and myself just treasure his input.”

“He’s got institutional history and he’s just made it a pleasure to serve with him,” Marden said.

Kinney serves on the board of the local cable access station, Channel 7, and on the Jay Development Committee. He has served as a trustee of the Jay Power District, as a member of an ad hoc Budget Format Committee, and as a library trustee.

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