ROCKPORT — The town's Finance Committee has elected Sandy Jacques as its chairman for the coming year — even though Jacques wasn't reappointed to the board by the Board of Selectmen that just left office. Jacques, in fact, wasn't even interviewed for the position, after not receiving the recommendation of Town Administrator Michael Racicot and former Selectmen Chairman Joseph Lisi.
The votes for Jacques to remain as chairman came twice in the past three weeks — most recently on May 7, two days before Jacques officially stepped down in accordance with the town counsel's opinion on exactly when his term expired.
The town had argued Jacques' three-year term expired Friday, May 9, because the term of his most recent appointment began May 10, 2005. However, Jacques urged town counsel to consider Chapter 6, Section 5, of the town's bylaws, which states — "Unless otherwise provided by law or vote of the Town, all terms of office shall commence on July 1 and terminate on the following June 30, or when a successor is appointed and qualified."
An attorney told Jacques the town's termination date would stand, despite the bylaw, because the town was able to produce a document showing Jacques' appointment was for three calendar years, not three fiscal years.
Jacques would not comment yesterday on whether he still planned to seek reappointment. Earlier this month, Jacques indicated he would seek reappointment after the May 6 elections and a new Board of Selectmen was installed.
Meanwhile, Selectwoman Ellen Canavan, who was sworn in Tuesday, said she would push her colleagues to reconsider Jacques' reappointment if no one else raised the issue first. Attempts to contact newly elected Selectman Andrew Heinze yesterday were unsuccessful.
According to Finance Committee member Frank Hassler, the committee voted to support Jacques' continued involvement last month with the understanding that his reappointment was still a possibility.
"In the aftermath of the Board of Selectmen meeting on May 6, the Finance Committee revisited the issue of the chairmanship and voted to continue (Jacques) in that capacity," Hassler said Wednesday. "It's just a way by which the Finance Committee supports Sandy's performance of his duties as chairman. The Finance Committee has been very consistent with their support of Sandy."
June Michaels, a long-time member of the Finance Committee and a Jacques supporter, said the vote to keep Jacques on as the committee's chairman was a symbolic vote of support.
"We're not trying to push the selectmen in any way," Michaels said yesterday. "It was a vote of support based on our feeling that he's done a good job as chairman. We wanted him to continue as chairman; we're not trying to strategize."
The nine-member Finance Committee is short three members and without leadership.
In addition to Jacques not being reappointed, Helen Barnett resigned recently for personal reasons and Charles Bluestein opted not to seek reappointment last month.
The date of the Finance Committee's next meeting has not been set and no volunteers have come forward to fill the open seats. However, Michaels said choosing a chairman is among the committee's top priorities — and the remaining members are trying to schedule a meeting for May 21 or 28.
Selectman Armand Aparo, chosen as his board's vice chairman Tuesday night, confirmed town counsel's opinion, but added Jacques should have had the opportunity to be interviewed by selectmen.
"It was the process I had a lot of difficulty with," Aparo said Wednesday. "I felt we did not do as good a job as we could have. Clearly, (Jacques) wanted to be interviewed and whether he was appointed or not would've been up to the Board of Selectmen."
The Jacques situation surfaced after he was reportedly told by Racicot and Lisi that he should step down because he would not be reappointed; selectmen then voted 4-1, with Aparo opposed, not to interview candidates who had not been recommended by the administrator and chairman.
The issue raised questions among some residents as to Racicot's role in recommending appointments. While his job description calls for him to work with the selectmen chairman to recommend committee appointees, Canavan and Heinze both said during their campaigns that they would push to scale back some of the administrator's authority.
Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
