June Michaels

Selectmen also voted to reappoint veteran Finance Committee member June Michaels by a 4-0 vote. Selectman Ellen Canavan abstained citing Michaels' husband Mel's involvement with the Conservation Commission.

During the interview, Canavan asked Michaels if she thought her husband's membership on the Conservation Commission presented a possible conflict of interest. Michaels said she didn't think the situation constituted a conflict and that she recuses herself from voting on the conservation budget each year.

Michaels first joined the Finance Committee in 1994 a year after moving to town.

Selectman Armand Aparo called Michaels an "asset to the town," adding it wouldn't be Rockport without her.

However Finance Committee member June Michaels said the town's CPC can afford to borrow the money needed to fulfill the selectmen's $2.26 million request and still have enough money each year to fund other CPC-eligible projects.

While supporters of the petition urged residents to approve the article so that it would move on to ballot for the spring town election, Finance Committee member June Michaels said, "No one is denying anyone the right to speak.

June Michaels, member of the Finance Committee, said the town needs revenue from this type of source as it could easily gain nearly $1 million, which could be used to trade the three one-acre lots to purchase open space of roughly 20 acres elsewhere in town.

Many of the town voters were still present as the hour approached 11 p.m., and, after an amendment to reduce the 20-foot rights of way easements failed, the vote to sell the lots also failed the required two-thirds vote, 149-95.

Before the vote, Hutchins questioned how the money would be spent - if it would go directly to a fund to purchase open space or be available for capital improvement projects as well - but Michaels said the town can't appropriate funds to certain causes until it actually has the money.

"The funding source we have already voted to use would be disqualified," said Finance Committee Chairwoman June Michaels."Let us try to meet in the middle and try to set aside the land for maximum use by the townspeople without harming the watershed use of the land."

June Michaels Finance Committee member Town Hall 34 Broadway Rockport, MA 01966 (978) 546-3863 macluj@adelphia.net

June Michaels