The Hillsborough Superior Court stepped in to appoint Douglas Reardon to the Select Board after two members resigned in quick succession, leaving no quorum.

Select Board member Carla Mary resigned May 8. In a letter submitted to the town, she did not cite a specific reason for her resignation, instead giving a two-sentence notice, which she stated was effective the next day, May 9.

On May 15, Select Board member Maggie Bickford also submitted her resignation, writing, “I apologize for the abruptness of this notice, but health issues have forced me to recognize other priorities.” Bickford had previously resigned at the end of last year due to health concerns, but believed herself well enough to run for a seat again in March, and was re-elected to complete the single year left on her three-year term.

Following Bickford’s previous resignation in December, the Select Board appointed Kathleen McNamara to fill her seat. In March, McNamara ran for, and won, the three-year seat left vacant by Reardon, who had decided not to run for re-election. With Bickford’s and Mary’s resignations, it left McNamara the last member of the board standing.

Town Administrator Tara Sousa said because the resignations came in such short order, the board had not had an opportunity to appoint a replacement for Mary before Bickford submitted her resignation. With only a single member of the board left, there was no quorum, leaving the board unable to make any town decisions, including decisions to appoint new board members.

Through its single remaining Select Board member, McNamara, the town filed with the Hillsborough County Superior Court – North to appoint a new selectman to fill one of the two current vacancies on the board. McNamara requested to have the court appoint Reardon, the most-recent former member of the board.

The town requested an emergency hearing, which the court granted and scheduled for July 1, for a hearing on the merits of McNamara’s motion. Following the hearing, the court agreed to allow Reardon to reassume his prior seat, after no objections were raised either before or during the hearing.

“After review and consideration of the petition and evidence presented, the court finds Douglas Reardon suitable to fill the vacancy of Ms. Bickford on the Board of Selectman and he is so appointed,” wrote Justice Amy B. Messer in her order on the request for appointment, issued on Monday, the same day as the hearing.

With a quorum re-established, the Select Board now has the authority to appoint a third member.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.