Trustee Appointment Not Legal; Re-Vote Needed

An appointment of a former Framingham Selectman to the Trustees of Edgell Grove Cemetery Tuesday night was not legal. A new vote will need to take place in September.

Earlier this week, four members of the elected Trustees of Edgell Grove Cemetery attended the Framingham Board of Selectmen meeting.

The Trustees and Selectmen held a joint meeting to appoint a new member to the cemetery board.

The vote was unanimous (8-0) to appoint former Framingham Selectman Dennis Cardiff, to replace elected Trustee Kathy Griffith, who moved out of town.

However, the vote was not legal, as the Trustees of Edgell Grove never posted a public notice of their intent to meet on Tuesday, August 18 with the Framingham Town Clerk’s office, as required by law.

According to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office “except in cases of emergency, a public body must provide the public with notice of its meeting 48 hours in advance, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.”

Framingham Selectman Charlie Sisitsky started Tuesday’s joint meeting by asking Trustees Chair Barbara Ford if the Trustees had posted their meeting with the Framingham Town Clerk’s office. Ford said yes, and called her meeting to order.

And then Cardiff, who was the only candidate, was appointed by the two joint boards. The other candidate, a Town Meeting member who was not named, withdrew an application prior to the vote.

Framingham Selectman Chair Charlie Sisitsky said the two boards will hold another joint meeting in mid-September to appoint someone to fill the term. That re-vote will likely take place on Wednesday, Sept 16. Selectmen will meet on Wednesday that week, due to the Jewish holiday.

The Trustees of Edgell Grove Cemetery did post a meeting for Thursday, Aug. 20 at 3 p.m. with the Framingham Town Clerk’s office.

It is not known if Cardiff attended that Thursday afternoon meeting, and if he took part in any votes or deliberations.

If Cardiff did attend and participate in Thursday’s meeting, the meeting would be in violation of state law, and any votes would need to be re-done.

Framingham Patch could not reach Trustees Chair Ford prior to the publishing of this report.