Tuesday night, the Wrentham Board of Selectmen voted to replace Chairman Bob Cohen with Selectman Edward Goddard. The motion to remove Cohen was made by Selectman Bob Leclair after months of controversy and discord on the board. “I think that it is unfortunate that it came to a change very late in the current board's lifecycle,” wrote Selectman Steve Langley in an email. “I think that while we only had two meetings left, we still have important business to conduct and the board's atmosphere would have made it difficult to conduct that business.”
The change, according to Goddard, was emblematic of the board over the past 12 months. "The Board's decision was mostly a symbolic recognition that the Board was almost completely ineffective this past year," Goddard wrote via email.
Langley added, “There have been a lot of charges about the board being dysfunctional this year, and to some extent it was. However, to put that all on the [Cohen]'s shoulders is unfair because it takes more than one party to contribute to or create a dysfunctional environment. I also think that some of that may have been a holdover from the prior board's interrelationships and some folks inability to let go of some of that animosity.”
The board will have a big change come April. The town election is April 5th and there will be two new members since neither Goddard nor Zizza are running for reelection. Goddard said, "I look forward to having two new members replace John Zizza and me and hope the Board next year and the years following can deal with issues and not unnecessary controversies dealing with personal issues.”
Langley is optimistic the dynamics of the new board will make a difference in how the selectman work together in the future and collectively will do the job they were elected to perform. “I think that the board will regroup and move forward with the election of two new members,” Langley wrote. “I also hope, and believe, that the remaining members of the board, myself included, will have to remember why we were elected which was to do our best to [do] what is right for our community.”
Cohen declined comment for this piece.
There is more about this move in The Sun Chronicle's coverage here.