By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

Though a number of Candia residents are supporting a question on the official ballot to add two selectmen to the town board, the current selectmen said the additions are unnecessary and ill-advised.

Selectman Gary York praised the board’s accomplishments from the past year and said significant progress has been achieved on a number of large projects.

“I think there’s been a large amount of work done by the selectmen this past year,” he said. “We’ve completely outfitted town hall with new computers and a network system, we prepared the new budgets, we prepared extensive research on the proposed transfer station, we spec’ed and designed the new generator installation and worked with the planning board and conservation committee. It’s been a very active and productive year and I think the board of selectmen has been very responsive to citizens’ requests in a timely manner.”

York said coordinating meetings with five selectmen would be much more difficult than with three and that it would slow down the decision-making process.

“There are a number of things that we need to discuss as a board,” he said. “Having five selectmen would open itself up for collusion between board members. The surrounding towns with five selectmen are always making the front page (of newspapers) because of incongruity.”

Fred Kelly, owner of local Fred’s Auto, not only created the question on the ballot to add two selectmen, but is also a candidate for one of the three selectman positions in this year’s March 8 election.

He said that there is currently too much work for three selectmen to handle and that, with two added positions, there will be a more varied range of opinions involved in decision-making.

“There are too many things happening (in Candia) that are a burden for three selectmen,” he said. “I don’t think it is fair for three men to run the whole town and make all the decisions. If there are five, the burden of the workload is taken off.”

Kelly said he believes there is great support from the community to create the two positions.

“I would say the majority of the town supports this,” he said. “There were 100 signatures on the petition when I turned it in; you only need 25.”

Resident Ingrid Byrd favors adding two selectmen and said town officials and residents need to establish a better dialogue.

“I signed the petition because I happen to think this is a good idea,” she said. “There is general dissatisfaction with how the town is being run with three selectmen – they are not really listening to the people in town.”

Resident Joe Duwart said that although coordinating the schedules of five selectmen might be more difficult, it will result in a diversity of opinions and better feedback.

“(Scheduling) might be an inconvenience, but I think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks,” he said.

Residents will vote for one selectman to fill Neil Sieminski’s vacant slot on March 8, as well as the question to add two more selectmen. If the question passes, the added positions will be filled in next year’s election.