TOPSFIELD — Last week, Topsfield endured a Town Meeting and a Town Election. With Monday's resignation of Selectman Dick Carlson, both a Town Meeting and Town Election could have to be repeated in the coming months.
Carlson remained tight-lipped about his resignation yesterday, declining to discuss about what made him think he might have been out of touch and offering a "no comment" on whether he was worried about working with the town's two new selectmen.
In his resignation letter, Carlson, 73, said that, "The recent election, together with certain actions the town has taken in recent years, and my age convinces me that I am out of step with the people of Topsfield.
"In the interest of harmony on the board and to avoid becoming a cranky old man as suggested in a blog of the local newspaper, I think it best that I be replaced."
Asked whether he hopes the new selectmen — town political veterans Martha Morrison and Nancy Luther — would focus on a particular issue, Carlson instead offered praise.
"I'll leave that up to them. They're both capable people and have the best interests of the town at heart," said Carlson, who resigned hours before his first scheduled selectmen's meeting with them.
Carlson had just begun the second year of a three-year term. He was elected in May 2007, beating incumbent Heidi Bond, 725-584.
Town Clerk Beverly Ann Guarino said she hopes selectmen will push for a Town Election to share the ballot with the November presidential election. The somewhat convoluted process — involving a Special Town Meeting to request legislation to combine the ballots — would bring a far higher turnout than a regular $5,000 Special Town Election, she said yesterday.
"Everybody will be coming to vote for president, so could you ask for greater input?" she said.
Beyond calling a Special Town Election or the Special Town Meeting leading to the November ballot, selectmen could opt to do nothing, Guarino said yesterday. The fifth selectman seat could remain vacant until the next Town Election in May 2009, unless 200 citizens demand an election.
In Town Meeting, Carlson advocated affordable senior housing. Town Meeting voters ultimately cleared the way for two senior condominium projects, The Meadows along the New Meadows Golf Course on Wildes Road and The English Commons at Topsfield on Route 1 at the Danvers border.
Topsfield-based developer C.P. Berry compares The English Commons to its Newbury development, Caldwell Farm, where units sell for around $700,000.
Carlson said yesterday he's seen good senior housing projects developed elsewhere.
"What I want to do is see some housing in town that emulates Four Mile Village in Boxford or the Maples in Wenham, but I don't think it'll happen," Carlson said yesterday. "There's nobody pushing it."
Town Administrator Virginia Wilder said she valued Carlson's service.
"He was a gentleman," she said. "He was someone who I believe was honorable and had the ability to look at things from both sides and to vote according to what he thought was best for the town, instead of his own personal views."
