In a 1-3 vote, North Yarmouth Select Board refused to reappoint Kevin Oliver, a longtime committee member, former chair, and the only remaining commercial fisherman serving on the commission.
The Board did not explain or give a reason for the decision.
When contacted by the Town Manager, Oliver said he responded he wanted to be reappointed. He did not know the Board was voting on his reappointment at the June 5 meeting.
Recently, the committee has struggled to find volunteers. A North Yarmouth seat was vacant for 10 months, with the Board taking 2 months to make the most recent appointment on April 16. With the rejection of Oliver and the recent resignation of Yarmouth member Brandy Adams, meeting quorum will be challenging.
The committee had a quorum at four meetings in 2023 and three meetings so far in 2024.
The Shellfish Conservation Commission is a dual town board established to manage shellfish licensing and conservation for North Yarmouth and Yarmouth. The work is linked to the history of the two towns, and state legislation preserving North Yarmouth resident access to the mud flats after Yarmouth seceded in 1849.
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