Selectmen's Notebook: New BOH Member Named, Elections Not Combined

When Joseph Knight took out nomination papers to run for a seat on the Board of Health in the April 6 Municipal Election, he was running as a challenger for an open seat.

Now he will be running as an incumbent.

At a joint meeting of the Board of Selectmen and Board of Health on Feb. 13, Knight was chosen to serve as an interim member of the BOH through April 6.

According to the town bylaws, the vacancy created when Edward Sheehan resigned earlier this year had to be filled immediately. Coincidentally, the two men who submitted a letter of interest in the position were Knight and Raymond Barry -- the two candidates who had taken out nomination papers seeking to serve out the remaining two years on Sheehan's term in the April 6 election.

Elections won't be combined

Tewksbury will actually hold two elections in April. In addition to the Municipal Election, a special primary election for the vacant United States Senate seat will take place April 30.

The state presented towns holding spring elections with the options of combining the two elections for the sake of convenience and economics. This would have meant moving the Municipal Election to April 30.

After discussing the matter at their Feb. 12 meeting, the Selectmen recommended not combining elections.

"It's tradition for the town election to be the first Saturday in April," said Town Manager Richard Montuori. "And we didn't think the cost savings was significant."

In other business:

• The Board voted to renew business licenses for TJ Automotive and Wally's Auto World after property tax issues were settled for both businesses.
• Town Treasurer Kelly Odams told the board that the 1877 Main St. had been redeemed out of Tax Title.