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Select Board appoints John Keenan to Budget Committee after contested nomination
Summary
The Sullivan Select Board voted 2–0 to appoint John Keenan to the town Budget Committee after an initial motion to appoint two volunteers failed following a dispute and a question about a possible conflict of interest; Keenan was sworn in at the meeting.
Norman Bamford and Michael Hosking voted 2–0 to appoint John Keenan to Sullivan's Budget Committee on March 16 after a contentious nomination process.
The nomination began when both Gerald Erbes and John Keenan volunteered to serve and the town clerk prepared oaths for each. An initial motion to appoint both volunteers failed after Kimberly Brooks asked whether an individual suing the town could create a conflict of interest and Mr. Erbes responded to Mrs. Brooks in a manner described in the meeting minutes as "a bit of hostility." Selectman Norman Bamford amended his motion to appoint John Keenan only; Selectman Michael Hosking seconded the amendment and the board approved it 2–0. Town Clerk Yvette M. Grindle then swore in John Keenan to serve on the Budget Committee.
The minutes record that the board discussed the potential conflict of interest raised by Brooks but do not include a legal finding or further details about any pending litigation involving Mr. Erbes. The record does not specify whether Mr. Erbes declined the appointment or whether his nomination was withdrawn; the amended motion explicitly excluded him.
The appointment concluded a short but heated exchange during the nominations portion of the agenda. The board did not take additional action on the matter at the March 16 meeting.
The next scheduled Select Board meeting is April 6, 2026, where the agenda indicates other items—including the previously tabled Shellfish Opportunity at Gordon’s Wharf—will be considered.
