I am distressed by the comments made by Select Board Member Harry Helm about CPC Chairman Bill Keohan, as reported in the Plymouth Independent on April 27.
Mr. Keohan apparently misstated to the spring Town Meeting the number of housing units that would count towards the town’s subsidized housing inventory at the multi-family project being constructed at 132-134 Court Street. He stated that 40 units would count towards the inventory, but it subsequently came to light that only 10 units would count. Upon being so informed, Mr. Keohan apologized to the CPC and to the Select Board. The CPC article will now have to be revoted at the Fall Town Meeting.
For more than 20 years, Mr. Keohan has been the face of the CPC at Town Meeting. During this time, he has shepherded countless CPC articles through Town Meeting. He has earned many times over the respect of Town Meeting for his institutional knowledge of the CPA and for his diligence in presenting funding requests. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it has been clear that for some time he has operated with a bullseye on his back. He has become the target of the Select Board for political reasons.
Mr. Keohan’s current term on the CPC expires this year, and yet Mr. Helm talks about removing him from the CPC. If the Select Board is dissatisfied with Mr. Keohan’s performance on the CPC, they can simply not reappoint him. Instead – again for political reasons – they are intent on transforming what appears to be an innocent mistake into an intentional misrepresentation.
Richard M. Serkey
Serkey is a precinct 2 Town Meeting member.