Holdcraft’s Cultural Council position affirmed

By Ruth M. Lyon

Turley Publications Reporter

BROOKFIELD – Selectman Peter O’Connell reported to fellow members of the board of selectmen that the Brookfield Cultural Council’s assertion that David Holdcraft’s appointive position to that committee should end, not in 2009, but in 2012, is correct.

“ I contacted the Massachusetts Cultural Council in Boston, and spoke at length with Jennifer Wallace, a staff person with the council. She shared with me paragraphs from Chapter 10 of the council’s laws, dealing with local council appointments.

“Members are appointed to the local councils in staggered three year terms; they are appointed on the basis of scholarship, creativity, and the contributions they are likely to bring to the councils. No elected officials are to be appointed. Members are appointed to staggered three year terms.”

O’Connell went on to say that according to law a council member may serve two consecutive three year terms, then must remain off the council for at least one year, and then may be reappointed for as many as two more consecutive terms before another one-year hiatus.

The selectman said he had examined the records pertaining to the local council, and realized that his board had appointed several members to one-year terms. Additionally, he said, it appeared from town report records that several members had served more than the allowed six consecutive years.

Holdcraft’s first term had expired in 2009, he said; the selectmen had subsequently, in 2009, appointed him for one year, then refused to reappoint him in 2010. However, O’Connell remarked, it appeared that he should have been reappointed for three years. “Ms Wallace suggested that, under the circumstances, the appropriate solution would be to correct that error by extending the 2009 appointment until 2012, he concluded.

O’Connell then moved to take that action. In subsequent discussion, Selectman James Allen said, “I hate to say this, but I think we’ve already got him. I’m not sure this even requires a vote. The action is already there.”

Board chairman Rudy Heller spoke negatively against Holdcraft, with whom he weekly crosses verbal swords at selectmen’s meetings. I cannot vote in the affirmative for Mr. Holdcraft for this or any office. His involvement has a negative effect. I can name a dozen people who have spoken to me, saying they’ve resigned or refused to join committees because of Holdcraft. I have other reasons as well. I think we’ve spent enough time on this. Mr. Holdcraft finds many ways to sidetrack any proceedings or discussions.”

O’Connell moved to take Wallace’s advice and correct the 2009 error by confirming Holdcraft’s appointment until June, 2012. He and Allen voted in the affirmative, Heller said “nay.”

In further discussion between board members and Cultural Council member Barbara Wilson, Wilson explained that the local council is and has been aware of the laws regarding the six term limit, and had observed those laws. “Many members stay on as volunteers, but do not vote as members,” she said. “It’s just that the town clerk doesn’t always observe that these people haven’t been sworn is as members, so their names continue to be in the town report.”

Holdcraft, who has maintained a controversial presence in town due to his weekly critical commentary at selectmen’s meetings and on the yellow signs on Route 9, has been supported by local cultural council members since the selectmen’s failure to reappoint him. Chairman William Simpson advised the board in July that the subject would be raised weekly, and such has proved to be the case.

On Tuesday, he used his “three minutes of democracy” to criticize the board “wasting time on my appointment to the Cultural Council. You guys are like three little boys talking about stupid stuff,” he said. “I’ll be helping out the cultural council and the town like I always have. How much time have you spent on this issue?”