Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper on the Chatham Town Board organizational meeting held January 2. The gathering was chaired by the town's new supervisor, Donal Collins, and was the first for new members Abi Mesick and Vance Pitkin. Pitkin was appointed deputy supervisor, and Mesick was named second deputy supervisor. The new board hired Tal Rappleyea as town attorney for an unspecified interim period, and appointed David Everett to the Planning Board. Rappleyea previously served as town attorney; Everett is an attorney by professional and he will now serve out the term of former Planning Board member Sue Tanner, who resigned last year. Residents in attendance at the meeting, as well as former board member Michael Richardson, questioned the wisdom of hiring Rappleyea again. Richardson said the board had not solicited bids from attorney candidates and pointed to the town’s procurement policy, which addresses soliciting bids for professional services. He urged the board to “go through this process.” The board also heard from some residents unhappy about the appointments made to the Comprehensive Plan Update Review Committee, which is co-chaired by Mesick and Jeanne Veillette Bowerman. Mesick spoke about her personal goals and the goals of the new board, saying they planned to get information to residents “The website is not enough,” she said. She also said the board would get out and hold meetings in the hamlets located within the town. And she said the Building Department is trying to educate people on what they need when dealing with zoning law requirements. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.