The Millis Select Board on Monday, Jan. 6, ratified the appointments of two police patrol officers, a staff accountant and a seasonal snow-removal contractor, and set the town’s 2025 annual town meeting for Monday, May 5.

Chief of Police Safar recommended the hires of Sean Nelson and Stacy Kaiser, both described by the chief as having nine years of law-enforcement experience. “I respectfully ask that you appoint these 2 officers,” Chief Safar told the board before members moved and seconded motions to ratify the appointments; each motion carried by voice vote with board members responding “Aye, unanimous.” The board’s town clerk administered the oath of office to Nelson and Kaiser at the meeting.

Why it matters: The appointments restore staffing that the police chief said had created “significant gaps” in the department and are intended to maintain public-safety coverage for the Town of Millis.

Chief Safar told the board Sean Nelson has nine years of experience in Massachusetts, including eight years in Millis and one year with the Westborough Police Department, a bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy, prior service in the U.S. Marine Corps and experience as a firearms licensing officer and crisis negotiator. The chief said Nelson’s return would “enhance our team.”

Safar described Stacy Kaiser as a nine‑year law-enforcement veteran from the Ashland Police Department with an associate degree in criminal justice, a Boylston Police Academy diploma, certification as a RAD (self-defense) instructor and NASRO National Association for School Resource Officers certification. The chief said Kaiser’s experience with department systems would reduce the need for technical training.

Town Administrator Mike recommended the board ratify the two police appointments; the board moved and seconded the ratification motions and approved both appointments by unanimous voice vote. The transcript records the vote as “Aye. Unanimous.” The numerical tally and roll-call names were not specified in the meeting record.

The board also ratified the appointment of Amanda Wells as staff accountant pending a satisfactory physical, and ratified Connor DePartola as a seasonal snow-removal contractor for the period Jan. 6 through March 1, both motions carried by voice vote with “Aye. Unanimous” recorded. The snow-contractor appointment was described in a memo from Public Works Director Jim McKay and was noted as being covered under the town personnel plan; the contractor appointment was conditioned on successful background and physical checks.

Separately, the board voted to set the Spring Annual Town Meeting for Monday, May 5, 2025, so that town staff can finalize notices and logistics. The board also approved draft minutes of its Dec. 18, 2024 meeting and then adjourned.

Discussion vs. decision: Most of the evening’s substantive discussion centered on the police chief’s presentation of candidate qualifications; the board’s subsequent actions were formal ratifications. Where the board approved appointments contingent on checks or a satisfactory physical, the motions and meeting record explicitly noted those conditions.

Clarifying details recorded in the meeting: Nelson’s educational background (bachelor’s degree in emergency management from Massachusetts Maritime Academy) and past service in the U.S. Marine Corps; Kaiser’s certifications (RAD instructor, RAD Kids instructor and NASRO school resource‑officer certification); Amanda Wells’s appointment is contingent on a satisfactory physical; Connor DePartola’s appointment is pending a successful background and physical check and is for Jan. 6–March 1, 2025. The meeting record lists the police‑hire recommendations as coming from the police chief and the formal appointment recommendations as coming from the town administrator.

Ending: The board welcomed the new hires and moved on to liaison updates and routine business after completing the appointments and votes.