Vacancy Remains on Easton Finance Committee

Despite being a week removed from the Town of Easton is still short a Finance Committee member.

Town Clerk Jeremy Gillis said the remaining position will be appointed during a joint meeting between the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen.

"The Finance Committee needs to notify the Selectmen that a vacancy exists, and then they will jointly meet and elect a voter to the one year term," Gillis said in an email Tuesday. "Usually the Selectmen will advertise the opening and accept applications for review."

At last week's Town Elections, there were no qualified candidates for the four available seats on the committee left by Patrick Goodman, Michael Ferrara, Irwin Cohen and Keith Graveline, whose terms expired.

Three seats were for a three-year position and one seat was for a one-year position.

Despite the lack of candidates, Easton voters used the power of the write-in to elect Robert Mielde, Ben Hampton and Scott Mclennan to the three-year seats.

Mielde won both the one-year seat (38 votes) and the three-year seat (44 votes). He accepted the three-year seat, leaving the one-year seat open. Hampton, with nine votes, was the runner-up for the one year seat. Richard Mcgrail received three votes and Mike Malone received six.

For the three three-year seats, Mielde received 44 votes, Hampton received nine and Mclennan received eight. Mike Malone received five votes and James Gibson received two votes.

Gillis said Mielde has already been sworn in for his position on the Finance Committee. Hampton and Mclennan have yet to be sworn in.