Its selectboard mired in controversy, Weston to hold special election

Town politics in Weston have been contentious in recent months, with the selectboard and residents pitted against each other in recent meetings over ethics and open meeting law complaints. Now, Weston is holding a special election on Sept. 26 to fill empty selectboard seats after two members of the five-member board resigned this summer amid rancorous meetings. Some residents have even called for the remaining selectboard members to resign. The board vice chair says the issues residents have brought up are mostly procedural and that the board is working on addressing complaints. Residents say board members are slow to respond to the ethics and open meeting law complaints. Weston resident and attorney Susan Morris said the board has failed to take accountability when responding to complaints. “The dysfunction, infighting and disregard” are blatant and seemingly driven by some personal motives, said Morris when calling for members’ resignation on Aug 11. “The board is not functioning responsibly.” The brouhaha escalated after resident Kenneth Hall filed several open meeting law and ethics complaints against the selectboard beginning in May, including alleging the board did not properly call for a special election in an open meeting. There has been a minor outbreak of town dysfunction in Vermont, and several other towns have similarly tumultuous local political landscapes.

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