Tuesday’s Select Board meeting had been uneventful: A review of the recent election turnout, the approval of higher water and sewage rates, and a look at which roads will get resurfaced this year.
And then, just as the board was considering what was perhaps the most innocuous item of the evening, a dispute broke out between the current and former chairs of the board, Kevin Canty and Dick Quintal. Or rather, Quintal sought an argument with Canty, in another sign of his displeasure over being removed as chair.
Last week, at the first meeting following the May 17 town election, the five-member board reorganized, appointing Canty as its new leader. Quintal cast the sole vote against him.
On Tuesday, Quintal accused Canty of “ruling with a steel fist” and acting like President Trump.
The verbal altercation started when Canty announced a schedule of board meetings set in neighborhoods around town to encourage more public participation. Improving communication between residents and officials was a promise that newly elected members Bill Keohan and Deb Iaquinto ran on during the campaign.
Canty said that on June 10, the board would debut a series called “Town Hall on the Road,” starting with a meeting at the Cedarville fire station. The sessions will be centered on listening to – and answering – residents’ concerns, he said. During Select Board meetings at Town Hall, residents may comment but board members, as a rule, do not respond to questions.
Canty said subsequent meetings will be held at South Elementary School on July 15, at either Plymouth South High School or Plymouth South Middle School on Aug. 12, and at Manomet Elementary School on Sept. 16.
That’s when Quintal – sitting next to Canty – spoke up.
“I like your idea, but back when I brought it up eight years ago, the rest of the board didn’t believe in it because they said Town Hall was the place to do people’s business,” he said, asking if the neighborhood meetings would be accessible remotely through Zoom and whether the board would consider license applications at them, as it does at Town Hall.
“Cedarville fire station has no parking,” Quintal told the Independent Wednesday. “I’ve had to park on 3A and walk in, which is very dangerous at night.”
During the Select Board meeting, he objected to the focus being on South Plymouth and proposed that the matter be put on the agenda for discussion at a future meeting.
“I appreciate that,” Canty said.
“I don’t want you to appreciate it,” Quintal interjected, insisting that the issue be put on the agenda, and adding that staff should be allowed to weigh in.
Canty stood firm, his voice remaining calm.
“I understand your perspective,” he said. “We are going to be meeting with few exceptions on a weekly basis, so we will be able to accommodate licenses requests and other topics on other weeks.”
“With all due respect, you’re not answering my question,” Quintal said. “Are we going to talk about it as a docket item so we can all weigh in on it?”
“We are going to be having this session on the road, so it is not going to be an agenda item,” Canty insisted.
Then Quintal complained that Canty was running the board like Trump.
“So, we’re taking after Washington, now,” Quintal said. “You rule?”
“No,” replied Canty.
“Because there’s four other people here,” Quintal said, referring to himself and the other three members of the board, who remained silent throughout and looked increasingly uncomfortable as Canty and Quintal went back and forth. None of them spoke.
“There are [four other members], yes, but we would typically have taken a week like this off, so we are going to take this out of Town Hall and have it down there to listen to and hear from the residents, and those members of the board that would wish to attend are welcome to do so,” Canty said.
“So it’s a roundtable?” Quintal asked.
“It is going to be a public Q&A,” Canty replied.
“So it’s not a Select Board meeting,” Quintal said, refusing to let up.
“It is a Select Board meeting, but it will have an agenda item that will allow the questions of the board [and for residents to] receive answers from their elected officials,” Canty insisted.
“Why don’t we do it every week?” Quintal asked.
“If it’s tremendously successful, we could talk about that, potentially, as an agenda item, but we are going to try it out in these locations,” Canty said.
“So, we’re going to talk about it after you try it,” Quintal said.
“I could go at it with you all night, Kevin,” he said.
“OK, Mr. Quintal,” Canty said.
“When I was chairman, whenever any member of this board wanted to do something as a docket item, I did it, and that’s your job,” Quintal continued, his voice rising as he pointed a finger at Canty. “You do not rule with the whole majority unless we vote, then you carry that vote forward.”
“I appreciate your perspective,” Canty said. “I disagree with it.”
“Good, ‘cause I disagree with yours,” Quintal shot back.
He then returned to the Trump analogy.
“Thank you for ruling with a steel fist,” he said. “It’s catching on from Washington into Plymouth now.”
Quintal told the Independent his objection was not so much about moving Select Board meetings outside of Town Hall as it was about not taking the question to a vote.
“The vote could have been 4-1 against how I felt, and that’s the way it goes,” he said. “I would have liked to hear what everybody had to say.”
In an email to the Independent, Canty said his decision to hold some meetings outside of Town Hall did not set a precedent.
“The Chair has always set the agenda, no matter who the Chair was, including the date, time, and location of our meetings, so this is nothing unusual,” he said. “The board has met outside Town Hall before, and all this initiative seeks to do is to have the Select Board meet residents where they are and let them feel seen and heard by their elected officials.”
Fred Thys can be reached at fred@plymouthindependent.org.