Elstein was one of 3 selectmen subject to a recall vote last week.
Kenneth E. ElsteinBELCHERTOWN – When the month of May began, Selectman Kenneth E. Elstein was facing the prospect of being recalled by voters and removed from his position, but he fought off the recall effort and on Monday was elected chairman of the board.
The vote for Elstein to take over from Selectman Ronald E. Aponte as chairman of the selectmen was 5-0.
That means Elstein received a vote for chairman from the newest member of the board, Brenda Q. Aldrich, who defeated Selectman James A. Barry in the May 16 town election.
Aldrich said during the campaign that she was inspired to run for selectman because of the recall drive, which in turn was organized by people who objected to positions taken in early February by Elstein, Barry and Selectman George D. Archible against renewing the contract of Police Chief Francis R. Fox Jr. for another three years.
Archible and Elstein subsequently reversed positions on this issue and the Board of Selectmen offered a three-year contract which Fox accepted.
But the recall process went forward and on May 9 there were recall votes on the ballot for Archible, Elstein and Barry.
The vote to recall Barry was 1,182 in favor to 1,155 against, but his term was scheduled to end May 9 anyway.
In the regularly scheduled election for a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen, Aldrich won the seat with 1,157 votes to Barry’s 1,017. A third candidate, Curtis B. Carroll, received 126 votes.
Residents voted 1,244 to 1,069 against the proposal to recall Elstein, whose term expires in 2012, and 1,312 to 1,013 against the proposed recall of Archible, whose term ends in 2013.
Archible was elected clerk of the Board of Selectmen in the reorganization Monday, and Selectman William R. Barnett was elected vice chairman. Both of these decisions were by 5-0 votes.
Selectman Ronald E. Aponte, the outgoing chairman, congratulated Elstein and Archible for overcoming the recall efforts and congratulated Aldrich for her election victory.
Aponte also took a moment to thank Barry for his six years of service on the board.
Aponte said it was obvious that he and Barry were at opposite ends of the political spectrum, but he said Barry worked hard at being a selectman.
“You always knew where you stood with him,” Aponte said.
He told Aldrich that she has big shoes to fill and she said she agreed.