Town council appoints Fred Catlin to Architectural Review Board in 3-2 vote

The town council voted 3-2 to appoint Fred Catlin to the Architectural Review Board, the council announced during its meeting.

The appointment followed discussion of three candidates for the board vacancy created after the appointment of the town treasurer. Council members praised each applicant’s qualifications and debated whether to use a written ballot or a roll-call vote before proceeding with roll-call voting.

Unidentified council member (speaker 4) announced the result: "The vote being 3 to 2, we will appoint, Fred Catlin to serve, on the ARV." The mayor said the appointment would be recorded in the meeting minutes. The meeting record shows the council tallied three votes in favor and two opposed.

After the appointment, the newly appointed member spoke on the record and submitted a verbal resignation from the town council, saying a formal resignation letter would follow. The council indicated the vacancy created by that resignation will be filled according to the town’s standard procedures and the appointment will be published in the minutes.

Council members said the candidates brought different strengths: one applicant described years living in town and experience in historic preservation and construction projects, while others were noted for recent renovations and community involvement. The council did not amend or attach conditions to the appointment during the meeting.

What happens next: the council will publish the appointment in the minutes and accept the appointee’s formal resignation letter, after which staff will track the vacancy and any follow-up steps for filling the resulting council seat.