Succession?

Weston Today photo

With her election to the State Senate, Weston First Selectwoman Samantha Nestor may have to decide whether she wants to hold both offices. She could. It’s been done.

But if she lands on serving only in the Senate, the Town Charter specifies two ways a successor would become first selectman. Which one applies depends on when the position becomes vacant.

One way is when a first selectman leaves office and there are less than six months until the next municipal election. In that case, the acting first selectman takes over.

Weston’s acting first selectman is Chris Bryant, who was named as such last week, having only recently been appointed to the board himself. (The Charter requires the designation of a selectman who takes the reins whenever the first selectman is absent.)

The second way is when a first selectman leaves with more than six months to go before the election. In that case, the town must hold a special election within 30 days of the vacancy.

It is not unprecedented for a municipal officer to also serve in the Legislature. Until 2019, Adam Dunsby was both Easton’s first selectman and state representative for Easton, Redding, and Weston. A current example is State Senator Norman Needleman, who was elected to the Senate in 2018 and since 2011 has been first selectman in the town of Essex.