Grafton will remain without a town moderator until May

Grafton will remain without a town moderator until the spring Town Election after the Select Board agreed that a special election was likely not worth the cost.

Town Moderator Daniel Concaugh resigned from the post in October, just a week before the fall meeting. Longtime Town Moderator Ray Mead took over the duties at the eventually rescheduled outdoor November Town Meeting and, since his appointment as deputy remains active, he could easily handle the duties at the May Town Meeting, Select Board Chair Peter Carlson said.

“He said after the November meeting that he would gladly fulfill that role,” Carlson said.

The remaining two years of Concaugh’s three-year term will be up for grabs during the May election. Nomination papers for the post will be available in January 2021 along with the rest of the offices in contention.

The cost for a special election was estimated to be $8,000-$10,000. Given that Grafton residents have now experienced four elections under COVID-19 precautions this year and the availability of Mead to handle Town Meeting preparations, the board agreed it could be skipped.