Selectmen Recall Election Gets December Date

STOUGHTON, MA — The much-discussed selectmen recall election will take place on the first Tuesday of December.

The board voted Tuesday night to mark Dec. 5 as election day. The day is the second earliest date they could have held it and opted to use that day over Nov. 28 to avoid holding the election a few days after Thanksgiving, according to the Enterprise.

December's vote is focused on selectmen Robert Cohn, Peter Brown, and Chairman David Sousa. The three have faced a backlash after voting to appoint an interim town manager and effectively ousting Michael Hartman, whose contract expired on June 30. Selectmen Robert O'Reagan and Michael Sullivan have contended that the town charter states that a town manager cannot be removed from his position unless he is discharged by a minimum of four selectmen.

A Norfolk Superior Court judge determined in a preliminary ruling over the summer that the discharge vote was not needed. The case remains pending.

Three candidates have emerged to challenge the three board members who will be on the ballot. Finance committee member Christine Howe, town meeting and finance committee member Stephen Cavey, and former finance committee member Richard Hill have announced their intent to seek office.

For Hill, it's his second run at the board this year. He was third in a race for two selectmen seats, finishing only 63 votes behind second-place finisher Sousa.

Image: File Photo