Dear Editor:

Each citizen can decide for him/her self how he/she feels about town employees serving on the Board of Selectmen.  My own view is that there can be no principled objection to this – they have the same right as every other citizen in this regard.

This said, I do believe the question should be asked: as selectmen, do town employees recuse themselves from participation in the discussion and decision of matters on which they have a clear conflict of interest, i.e., matters involving the agencies they direct or serve and, more generally, involving the compensation and benefits of town employees?

Recusal based on conflict of interest is a commonplace practice at other levels of government, and I believe it represents (or would if not currently the practice) the appropriate procedure in situations of the type referred to above.     

Steve Salorio

East Boothbay