After two weeks of being a private citizen, Darrell Walsh has returned to the Firestone Board of Trustees.
The board voted Wednesday to have Walsh fill its vacant seat. The spot had been held by Paul Sorensen, who resigned his trusteeship after being elected mayor.
“Welcome, Darrell,” Sorensen said after Walsh was sworn back in.
“Welcome back,” town spokeswoman Kristi Ritter added.
After five years on the board, Walsh had chosen not to run for re-election this year. But when the seat came open, he was one of five men to apply, along with candidates John Damsma, Sean Jones, Charles Staples and Charlie Thomas.
“I went through a little withdrawal for a while,” Walsh said. “And I’m so happy to have this opportunity to serve again for the next two years.”
Damsma and Staples had run for the board in the April 1 election; Thomas, like Walsh, is a former trustee.
In a preliminary round of written ballots, Walsh received four votes from trustees George Heath, Bobbi Sindelar, Samantha Meiring and Matt Holcomb. Trustee Jennifer Weinberger voted for Staples; Sorensen, as mayor, was not permitted to vote.
The board then appointed Walsh unanimously.
It’s not the first time that one of the Tri-Towns has immediately brought back a departed board member. In 2012, Frederick Trustee Fred Skates was defeated for re-election; after 15 minutes in private life, he was appointed to fill a chair vacated by new Mayor Tony Carey.
Contact Times-Call staff writer Scott Rochat at 303-684-5220 or srochat@times-call.com
