WILLIAMSBURG – At its Thursday meeting, the Williamsburg Board of Selectmen signed the warrant for the upcoming Town Caucus. However, there remain a number of key positions that no one has committed to running for – including town moderator.
Town Caucus is a non-partisan open meeting where attendees can place nominees on the ballot for town offices. This year’s caucus will take place on March 5 beginning at 11 a.m.
So far no one has indicated that they will be running for town moderator, an issue that was brought up at the Select Board meeting.
“We have to find someone,” said Select Board Member William Sayre.
The town moderator is charged with running Williamsburg’s town meetings.
At the meeting, Town Administrator Nick Caccamo said that Eleanor Warnock, the administrative assistant to the Select Board, has found someone who may be interested in the position.
“We’re going to do some direct feelers,” Caccamo said, speaking about recruitment for the position.
He also spoke about the vacancy on the regional school committee where those interested in running haven’t yet stepped forward.
“That’s actually quite a bit of work,” he said. “If you know somebody let us know.”
There are also two seats on the local school committee where members are not running for re-election.
Speaking the day after the meeting, Caccamo also said that he hopes the recruitment process picks up steam closer to the caucus date.
“We’re trying our best to get the word out there,” he said.
The Meekins library will host a book club for the month of February, with participants reading a novel that tackles issues of race and identity.
“The book that we’re using is called ‘The Vanishing Half,’” said Bev Bullock, the library’s director.
‘The Vanishing Half,” tells the story of two black twin sisters who grew up in rural Lousiana and then had their lives go in different directions. It was written by author Brit Bennett and was shortlisted for the 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
“It’s a fabulous book,” Bullock said. “It’s an important book to read.”
Bullock said that the book changed the way she thought about a lot of things, and that it’s important to learn about other cultures.
“We live in a very sheltered, white part of the world,” she said.
Bullock also noted that the library has many copies of the book, and that it is a short but intense read.
The book club discussion will take place over Zoom at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28. Bullock and Rochelle Wildfong, the library’s assistant director, will be facilitating, and book club questions from Bennett’s website will be used. Bullock also said that she may reach out to Bennett about attending the event.
Those interested in participating in the book club and receiving the Zoom link can call the library or they can email meekinsbooks@cwmars.org. Bullock also said that the library is looking to do a book club every other month.
Town officials opte to close Worthington’s transfer station on Saturday because of the snowstorm.
“Weather will close us down sometimes,” said Select Board Member Charley Rose.
This follows the transfer station’s paper compactor not being operational on Wednesday, due to freezing.
Rose said that the compactor has since warmed up and started working again.
The winter hours of the transfer station are noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.