May 1, 2019 by Carol Britton Meyer
Last night's Selectmen's meeting was brief but productive.
Selectman Mary Power and newly elected board member Joseph Fisher, who ran unopposed for former Selectmen Chairman Paul Healey's seat in Saturday's election, voted in favor of Selectman Karen Johnson stepping into the chairman role.
"I appreciate the honor of sitting in any of these three seats," Johnson said.
Healey was present to accept a framed proclamation thanking him for his service to the town over many years, from his earlier time as a Hingham police officer to a long stint on the Planning Board and as a Selectman for the past six years and for his "spirited style of leadership."
"It's been a genuine pleasure to serve the town over the years, but this past year has been exceptional," he said, referring in large part to the water company acquisition process and recent Town Meeting approval for the town to buy the system. "It's been a true labor of love."
Johnson pointed to Fisher's experience on the Conservation Commission and most recently on the Zoning Board of Appeals as an asset to the town. "You have big shoes to fill!" she said. Fisher agreed goodnaturedly and is pleased to be part of the board now.
In other business
* Town Administrator Tom Mayo invited citizens interested in serving on the Transition and Evaluation Committee and on the Citizens Advisory Board, both related to the recent water company acquisition, to fill out a talent bank application (available at the back of the Town Meeting warrant and also on the town website, hingham-ma.gov).
While talent bank interviews are usually conducted later in the spring, Mayo said the Selectmen would like to fill these slots as soon as possible and that interviews for these positions would be conducted earlier than usual.
"We have initiated conversations with the [Aquarion] Water Company, and we anticipate a good and efficient transition," Mayo said.