Outgoing Orono mayor appoints new council member over objections

Outgoing Orono Mayor Dennis Walsh appointed a new council member Monday night, despite objections from colleagues who said the move would erode trust with residents.

Claire Berrett, a longtime Orono resident criticized by some as being too supportive of Walsh, took the oath of office during a contentious City Council meeting in which officials and audience members at times shouted over each other.

“It’s an honor,” Berrett said during the meeting. “It feels awkward to me right now, because I wasn’t expecting this, but I will promise you this: I will always vote in the best interests of Orono and its citizens.”

The selection comes as Orono is bracing for major political turnover and grappling with contentious issues like the future of its fire department. Earlier this month, voters selected a new mayor and two new council members, who are set to begin their jobs in January.

One week after the election, Council Member Matt Johnson resigned with about two years left on his term. Berrett filled his seat, though it’s not yet clear how long she might be there.

Orono City Attorney Soren Mattick said he expects the appointment will last through November 2026, though he left open the possibility that officials could pass a special election ordinance that somehow changes that. Incoming Mayor Bob Tunheim said he believes city leaders exceeded their authority in appointing Berrett and that a special election needs to be held.

“I can’t speak for the rest of the incoming council, but I think the community will want us to move quickly to put in motion the steps necessary to hold a special election,” Tunheim said in an interview Tuesday. He added: “I intend to be professional and civil with Ms. Berrett and I look forward to working with her for the time she remains on council.”

Berrett declined to comment Tuesday and referred questions to Walsh.

Berrett’s appointment surprised some people, who expected Monday night’s meeting to include a presentation on an application process for people who were interested in taking Johnson’s seat. Materials prepared for the council and included in a meeting packet note that “past practice of the city has been to fill council vacancies through an application, interview and appointment process.”

When Johnson resigned earlier this month, city officials said they expected they would also need to hold a special election next year.

But at Monday’s meeting, Walsh cited advice from state officials and said that because there isn’t a city ordinance addressing special elections, “there will not be one.”

In a text message Tuesday, Walsh said it was “our duty” to put someone in place who will take care of Orono.

“Claire is overly qualified to make sure that any decisions moving forward will be done with Orono’s best interest in mind when she votes,” he said.

Walsh moved Monday night to appoint Berrett to the position.

Orono City Council Member Alisa Benson, who had been the only one set to return to office next year, urged the council to hold off, saying several people had expressed interest in the job.

“It’s the exact opposite of honoring those election results and the message that the voters have sent with it by doing this sort of maneuver at this meeting tonight,” she said.

Council Member Maria Veach previously took her seat through an appointment process and said she “dealt with its aftermath for my entire term.”

“I knew that really well-intentioned people won’t be given a chance, and the appointment process is brutal,” Veach said. “Unfortunately, what we’re tasked with is unprecedented yet again.”

Berrett’s appointment failed on a 2-2 vote, with Walsh and Council Member Richard Crosby voting for her selection and Benson and Veach voting against. The city attorney said that, in the event of a tie, state law allows the mayor to appoint a new council member. Walsh immediately appointed Berrett, eliciting boos from the audience.

During public comment, multiple people spoke against Berrett’s selection, with some raising concerns about the process and some saying they knew little about her except that she had ties to a group that held a forum featuring Walsh in the runup to the election. (Walsh received just one-third of the votes in the November election, losing to Tunheim.)

Berrett didn’t address that head-on, but said she would tell people a little bit about herself. She said she has been an Orono resident for 29 years and has a “servant’s heart,” adding that she had served on a parents’ association and a parish council.

“I hope to get to know you all in a real, face-to-face way, not behind keyboards,” she said. “...And I’m looking forward to the civility that incoming Mayor Tunheim has promised, and I hope that filters through all of Orono.”