Rooney attends first Board of Selectmen meeting

The new Board of Selectmen (L-R): Bonnie Phaneuf, Bill Boland, and John Rooney

John Rooney attended his first Board of Selectmen meeting last night, less than 24 hours after beating incumbent Sal Giorlandino in the town election.

Addressing the audience, Rooney thanked those who voted yesterday. “I will represent not just the people who voted for me, but also those who voted against me,” he said. “My whole objective is to get anyone involved who wants to be.”

Selectwoman Bonnie Phaneuf thanked Giorlandino for his “endless hours” of service, and for his knowledge and dedication. “He will be greatly missed,” she said.

Rooney’s first official action as selectman was to join the rest of the board in appointing Phaneuf the new chair. The board’s custom is to appoint as chair the member who is in the last year of their 3-year term. Phaneuf’s current term ends in May 2011.

Selectman Bill Boland was appointed vice-chair.

After finishing their work on the scheduled agenda items, Phaneuf opened the floor to the public, asking those in the audience if there were any questions or comments. There weren’t any, but Phaneuf told me after the meeting that the invitation for public comment will be a standard part of the agenda from now on.

“People are unaware of how the board can help them,” Phaneuf said. “Some feel their complaints fall on deaf ears. They don’t realize they can come here to get help.”

In other business, the board approved bids for improvements to Cordaville Hall, and discussed a creative way to deal with a stump in front of the Southborough Arts Center. More on those in upcoming posts.