Appointments committee recommends confirmation of four mayoral appointees, including veterans service agent

The Gardner City Council Appointments Committee on March 17 recommended that the full City Council confirm four mayoral appointments, including the mayor’s nomination of Corey Hasselman as the city’s veterans service agent and veterans burial agent, and reappointments to the Council on Aging for Ron Darmethka, Paul Leoni and Paul Crowley.

Mayor Nicholson told the committee that Hasselman has been “a great asset to us in the city,” and that the committee had interviewed Hasselman at a prior meeting. The mayor also described each Council on Aging nominee as active volunteers who work with the senior center’s programming and staff.

The distinction between the veterans service agent and the veterans burial agent was explained to the committee as a matter of state law: the veterans service agent assists veterans in applying for benefits, while the veterans burial agent certifies which veterans are eligible for flags on graves during the period from Memorial Day through the fall pickup season. The mayor asked that his written appointment summaries submitted by email be added to the meeting minutes.

Committee members briefly discussed each reappointment. Members described Ron Darmethka as an active volunteer who helps run senior-center events; committee members said his role is unpaid and has been held for about three years. Paul Leoni was described by the mayor as finishing his first three-year term and praised for his involvement in senior-center activities and arts programming. Paul Crowley was described as bringing business and community experience and outreach to the center; committee members said senior centers in state law are open to anyone 55 and older.

Each appointment was advanced by a motion to recommend confirmation to the full council and passed by voice vote with the committee recorded as voting in favor. The committee made no amendments and recorded no opposing or abstaining votes.

Votes at a glance

• Item 11485 — Recommend confirmation of the mayor’s appointment of Corey Hasselman as veterans service agent / veterans burial agent. Motion to recommend confirmation made and seconded; committee vote: unanimous recommendation to confirm (committee present and voting: 3 ayes).

• Item 14192 — Recommend confirmation of the mayor’s reappointment of Ron Darmethka to the Council on Aging. Motion to recommend confirmation made and seconded; committee vote: unanimous recommendation to confirm (3 ayes).

• Item 11493 — Recommend confirmation of the mayor’s reappointment of Paul Leoni to the Council on Aging. Motion to recommend confirmation made and seconded; committee vote: unanimous recommendation to confirm (3 ayes).

• Item 11494 — Recommend confirmation of the mayor’s reappointment of Paul Crowley to the Council on Aging. Motion to recommend confirmation made and seconded; committee vote: unanimous recommendation to confirm (3 ayes).

The committee chair closed the meeting after recommending all four appointments. The recommendations will be forwarded to the full Gardner City Council for final confirmation; no date for the council vote was specified in the committee record.