FERRISBURGH — Longtime Ferrisburgh selectboard chairwoman Loretta Lawrence last week informed her fellow board members that she had decided to resign from her leadership position, but that she will remain on the board. Lawrence has a year left on her current term.
“I have been on the selectboard for 15 years and have served as the chair for the past 13 of those 15 years,” Lawrence wrote in an email to the Independent. “I believe that this is a good time to step down and take a break. This is a good time to ‘pass on the torch,’ so to speak. I will continue to be an active member on the selectboard.”
After hearing Lawrence’s announcement at their Feb. 17 meeting, selectboard members voted to appoint Stephen Gutowski as their acting chairman. The board, which will have a new member after Town Meeting Day because two newcomers are seeking the seat being vacated by Sally Torrey, will formally reorganize when it first meets after that election.
In the meantime, Lawrence wrote, “I believe that Steve is very capable of chairing the board and will provide strong leadership in his new role.”