Prisby will not seek re-election to Select Board
Ed Prisby has spent the past three years as possibly the most vocal member of the Select Board. Tuesday morning he did the most unexpected thing of all: announced he would not seek re-election.
Prisby said that while he has no regrets about his work for the town, the toll it took on his family time was a large factor in his decision. His seat is the sole Select Board position on the ballot in the May Town Election.
“I started in 2018 as the ‘new guy,’ constantly pushing for change on a Board comprised mostly of long-time residents,” Prisby wrote on his Facebook page. “2019, candidly, was mostly a lost opportunity in my estimation, characterized by lack of direction on the Board and too much in-fighting.
“But this year, we really got it right: we made decisive, necessary changes in our administration which directly resulted in a rearrangement of financial responsibilities in the municipal center that we think will improve financial accountability and communication with the public,” he added. “We furthered tax relief for those in need, while supporting an override to provide continued support for basic government services, like schools, police and the fire department. We responded effectively to a mounting crisis in our fire department, and will be transitioning to a strong-chief position. We acted on rental assistance for those financially impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. And, most dear to my heart, we have set in motion the construction of affordable housing at the long-vacant 25 Worcester Street.”
Prisby frequently has come under criticism for his outspokenness on social media, both on his personal and political pages and on his intermittent blog, Planet Grafton. In recent weeks, he argued with fans of Worcester’s Turtle Boy blog after a photograph was posted of him, maskless, shopping in a Grafton liquor store.
Prior to Select Board, Prisby served on the Planning Board, Finance Committee and the Affordable Housing Trust. He was the Select Board’s member for the Town Administrator Screening Committee and the Grafton Sustainability Commission.
“Since July 1, the Board has met just about every week, sometimes multiple times per week. It has not been unusual over the past three months for me to have weeks where I have three meetings per week, between the Board, the Town Administrator Screening Committee, Affordable Housing and the Grafton Sustainability Commission,” he wrote. “During those weeks, I find myself getting behind at work while not seeing my family at all.
“This is a commitment that I chose, so you’ll hear no complaints from me,” he added. “But over the past three years, my boss has asked me, ‘When is your term up again?’ More frequently over the past year, my wife has asked me, ‘When is your term up, again?’ My kids put it differently: ‘Daddy, do you have a meeting again tonight?’ Finally, lately, I’ve begun to ask myself, “When is my term up, again?” And when you get to that point, you just shouldn’t be doing it anymore.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you for the past three years, but I will not be running for re-election. I’m proud to say that I’ve been a necessary change agent on the Board, and I like to believe that I’ve provided some necessary leadership and accountability during my term. If I leave a legacy at all, it will be in how the Board responds to the challenges still before it in the coming years – which, given the current make-up of the Board, I am sure will be with diligence, accountability and honesty.”
Nomination papers for the May Town Election will be available at the Town Clerk’s office in mid-January 2021.
