Arlington resident complains to state about selectman being appointed as town clerk

By Brock Parker, Globe Correspondent

An Arlington resident said he filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission Monday in response to the town's board of selectmen voting to appoint Selectman Jack Hurd as town clerk.

"Even if it's not illegal, it appears to be cronyism," said Steve Montiak, who said he complained to the state Monday about Hurd's appointment.

The town's lawyer called the ethics complaint baseless.

Selectmen voted 3-1 last Thursday in favor of appointing Hurd as the interim clerk effective in April when current clerk Corinne Rainville retires. Hurd will serve the remaining year in Rainville's term before the seat is back up for election in 2011.

The board appointed Hurd after conducting interviews with him and four other candidates last Thursday, including Stephanie Lucarelli, who has been Arlington's assistant town clerk for 16 years.

The other candidates were Michele Meagher, a former head of Arlington's Chamber of Commerce, and citizens Martha Drouet and Allison Betts.

Selectmen Chairman Kevin Greeley and fellow board members Annie LaCourt and Clarissa Rowe voted to appoint Hurd to the post. Hurd abstained from the vote, and Selectman Diane Mahon voted for Lucarelli. 

Greeley said he has been friends with Hurd for a long time and while some have called the appointment cronyism he said he voted for Hurd because of his qualifications.

Hurd, a selectman since 1997, could not be reached for comment. But in a letter he sent to Selectmen expressing his interest in the job on Feb. 16, Hurd said he has management experience as a former operations manager for Polaroid Corporation from 2005-2007. He is currently a real estate agent for Bowes GMAC Real Estate in Arlington.

Hurd also ran for state senate in 2008, but was defeated in the Democratic Primary by state Sen. Kenneth Donnelly.

In his letter to selectmen, Hurd said as a past candidate for both state and local office, "I have first-hand knowledge and experience with the election nomination process, financial reporting requirements and ethics law."

But Moniak said he believes state law requires Hurd to step down from the board of selectmen before becoming a candidate for town clerk.

He said he filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission about the board's vote because he expects "better out of our elected officials."

"This is not about the person, this is about following the law," Moniak said.

A spokesman for the state Ethics Commission could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon. 

Town Counsel Juliana Rice said she thinks Moniak's complaint is "completely baseless."
Rice said Hurd will have to resign from the board of selectmen before assuming the town clerk's post, but he does not have to resign from the board before being selected for the job.

Greeley said he, LaCourt, Rowe and Mahon, along with Town Moderator John Leone will discuss how to appoint an interim selectman to replace Hurd at the board's next meeting on March 8.

--brock.globe@gmail.com