Select Board accepts Matthew Rivard resignation; Tim Toth chosen chair in reorganization

The Town of Templeton Select Board voted Wednesday to accept a resignation letter from interim chair Matthew Rivard, and immediately completed a reorganization of the board’s leadership.

At 6:36 p.m., the board accepted Rivard’s resignation effective at the close of the meeting. The motion to accept the resignation passed with three yes, one no and one abstention. The roll call recorded Tim Toth, Jeff Curry and Terry Griffiths voting yes; Jeff Bennett voting no; and Matthew Rivard abstaining.

Following that vote, the board nominated and confirmed a slate of officers. Tim Toth was nominated and confirmed as chair by roll-call vote. The motion recorded four yes votes and one abstention (Toth abstained as the subject of the vote) and took effect immediately. Jeff Bennett was confirmed as vice chair in a roll-call vote that likewise recorded four yes votes and one abstention. Terry Griffiths was confirmed as clerk by roll-call vote. The board also confirmed Jeff Bennett as the board’s educational liaison for the remainder of the term.

Board members offered brief remarks thanking Rivard for his service and noting continuity plans. Rivard said his resignation was lodged with the town clerk on March 15 and that he also posted a personal release on March 17.

The reorganization follows an earlier period of leadership change after a previous chair resigned. The board used its standard nomination process, taking nominations, asking nominees to accept, and conducting roll-call confirmations for positions with a single nominee.

The board moved on to the rest of its agenda after completing the reorganization.