2 replacements added to Personnel Board.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Michael J. Ballway

STERLING - Over the strained objections of two selectmen and dozens of residents, Town Moderator Peter T. Monaghan Tuesday

night put an end to a months-long debate over the Personnel Board.

Four months after being denied reappointment by the moderator and Finance Committee, Personnel Board Chairman Loret R.W. Schur and member Diane L. Burrows are off the board. Mr. Monaghan and the Finance Committee voted unanimously to appoint Timothy Hanrahan and Amrith Kumar as their replacements, despite the opposition of Selectmen Ronald A. Furmaniuk and Paul M. Sushchyk and several others.

Both selectmen objected to the timing of the meeting, saying they had planned to interview Personnel Board candidates at their Dec. 7 meeting. In response, Mr. Hanrahan and Mr. Kumar both said they had been willing for weeks to discuss their qualifications with selectmen, but were never asked.

"There is no requirement to have anybody interviewed. There is no requirement to hold it in an open session," said Mr. Monaghan, adding: "I think what has come out of this is, we need to define a policy that all three voting members can agree on."

Board of Selectmen Chairman Russell R. Philpot did not vote or participate in...