WOODSTOCK — The Selectboard has appointed two residents to fill vacant seats until the next election, after most of the original board resigned this year.
Clay Reed and Ben Ford are the newest members and will serve until Town Meeting 2027, when the original terms end.
With a full house at the Tuesday meeting, the Selectboard of three — including original member Norm Frates Jr. and recently elected members MaryAnn Sweeney and Susan Chiefsky — considered six applicants for the two open seats. After an approximately 10-minute executive session, the board unanimously appointed Reed and Ford, prompting some residents to walk out.
Several attendees expressed support for Byron Kelly, a former Woodstock police chief, and were unhappy with the decision.
“When you didn’t take the offer from Byron, all of his institutional knowledge, all of his caring, all of his experience, you’re just throwing it away,” said Gay Travers, who had been appointed as a temporary Selectboard member in May.
The turmoil follows a period of turnover on the Selectboard, leaving only one member elected by a Town Meeting vote. Since May, six newcomers have joined, either by special election or temporary appointment.
Some residents stuck around and participated in the general public comment opportunity. Village resident Elise Tarlow told the members she feels they made a huge mistake overlooking Kelly. She added that Reed’s wife, Brenda Blakeman, serves as a trustee and therefore the couple would act together on the joint board.
“To choose him when he has less votes and you know a huge portion of your constituents do not feel comfortable with that layout, it’s shocking, and it’s really not okay,” said Tarlow.
Travers, in her comment, pointed out that the current members are newcomers, but Kelly lived his whole life in Woodstock and served as police chief for 20 years.
In his interview, Ben Ford shared that he’s a friend of Susan Ford, Cliff Johnson and Laura Powell, and may consider running officially in March. He said he’s an attorney by training, with a background in public ethics. Ford served six years on the school board and has chaired Woodstock’s finance committee.
“There are difficult decisions that need to be made, but it’s important to give people a step up and get invested to make those decisions,” said Ford.
Reed previously applied for the temporary role in May. He has lived in Woodstock for 13 years and currently works remotely as an IT systems engineer. Reed has served as Woodstock Rotary Club president for two years and has volunteered at local events.
“I have good people skills, clear thinking, and no political agenda other than what is best for our town,” Reed wrote in his application.
Nicholas Seldon — the husband of ousted Woodstock Police Chief Joseph Swanson, who is suing the town over a demotion — also applied for a seat, saying that his mission isn’t to be liked, but rather to hold officials accountable and promote transparency. He feels the current board hasn’t been a voice for everyone in Woodstock, which Sweeney denied.
“Every citizen has an advocate in me, and Susan, and Norm,” she responded.
As for Kelly, he said he has attended Selectboard meetings since 2024 and has institutional knowledge of town affairs.
In March, three seats are up for grabs at Town Meeting: a three-year term, a two-year term and a one-year term.
Background
The turnover began with Ray Bourgeois, who resigned earlier this year to relocate. In May, Laura Powell stepped down after two years on the board, citing hostile behavior from a resident.
“When individuals exploit the legal system and law enforcement to intimidate others, our community suffers,” Powell said in her statement.
Seldon said he believed Powell was referring to him in her resignation speech. He is also actively suing Woodstock over public records he requested primarily related to his husband’s case and a legal fees investigation.
The board filled those two seats with temporary appointees — Gay Travers and Dick Sweeney — after interviewing seven candidates.
In an Aug. 11 special election, Susan Chiefsky earned 526 votes, defeating Kelly, who earned 299. For the second seat, Dick Sweeney’s wife, MaryAnn Sweeney, earned 364 votes, defeating Reed, who came in second with 293 votes. Ben Ford did not run.
Days after the board became full again, Susan Ford, chair at the time, announced plans to step down because the stress of the role was affecting her health. Johnson also resigned two weeks later over a lack of availability during “tumultuous times” in Woodstock — the second pair of departures in as many months.
“I hate to think I’m letting the negativity in this town win, but need to put myself first this time,” Ford said at an Aug. 18 meeting.
