by Kevin Dicciani

At the annual organizational meeting of the Chestnut Hill Community Association's board of directors, newly elected board members were welcomed and seated and a new Executive Committee – including a new president – was elected.

The May 22 meeting began with the board welcoming four new members, elected in April, each to serve a three-year term. The new members are Willard Detweiler, who was elected as the new president of the board, George Coates, Jason Bissonette and Samuel Earle. Although Detweiler is technically a newly elected board member, he served as president of the CHCA’s board from 1987 to 1988.

Next, the nominees for the Executive Committee were elected as the previous members' terms expired and needed to be transitioned to different offices. With a show of hands, the board voted in the nominees with 19 members approving and 11 abstaining. None of the nominees were contested, and there were no alternate nominations.

The Executive Committee is as follows: Willard Detweiler, president; Laura Lucas, vice president for Operations; Larry McEwen, vice president for the Physical Division; Christopher Padova, vice president for the Social Division; Bob Rossman, treasurer, and Kristina Sullivan, secretary.

The five elected at-large members of the Executive Committee are: Denise Chapline, George Coates, Sam Earle, Joyce Lenhardt and Walter Sullivan.

Immediate past president Brian Tilley is the de facto 12th member of the Executive Committee.

All members of the Executive Committee will serve a one-year term.

Also, two new Community Fund trustees were appointed – Susan Bray, who was renominated a second time, and Ellen Williams, taking the spot of Tolis Vardakis. Their terms will expire in May of 2017.

Before Detweiler spoke as the newly elected president, Brian Tilley make a few closing remarks about his time serving on the board.

“It was truly an honor to work with everyone on the board,” Tilley said. “Together, as one board, we've accomplished some pretty big things and sincerely had an impact on the community. At times it was challenging, but it was well worth the effort.”

Detweiler then spoke briefly about what he expects to do as president and what he hopes to accomplish along with the rest of the board. He said the whole transition will be “pretty seamless,” and that if the board works together, they can “do just about anything.”

“Let's get down to work,” he said.