MacAskill Replaces Ballantine On Harwich Housing Trust

 HARWICH – The select board on Monday affirmed the appointment of former select board member Michael MacAskill as Town Administrator Jay McGrail’s designee on the affordable housing trust board. MacAskill will replace former select board member Larry Ballantine, who served in that capacity for the better part of two years. 

 “Mr. MacAskill has extensive municipal experience and government background that I believe would bring balance to the trust,” McGrail told the select board April 6. 

MacAskill served as a member of the select board for a decade. He will be chair of the trust board.

 ”I thank Larry Ballantine for his time serving and make it clear the only reason I’m looking to go in a different direction was his desire to serve, to continue to serve on the trust in the short term,” McGrail said. “Larry not looking to be there much longer, that weighed in my decision-making pretty heavily.”

Select Board Chair Donald Howell said the intention in appointing anybody to the position is to create some balance. “There’s still four other members who have voices in this discussion,” he said. “There is no interest whatsoever to strip the trust of any authority.”

 “What I heard from the select board,” added McGrail, “and what would be a good fit for this appointment would be somebody that has municipal experience and knows how government is run, and can help the trust and help in his role there to kind of bring it in, because of that…I thought he might fit the bill given his experience sitting at this table.”

Ballantine began serving on the trust in the final months of his term on the select board. He was then appointed to serve as the designee under Town Administrator Joseph Powers. When Powers left, Ballantine’s appointment also expired. Acting town administrator Tony Schiavi also selected Ballantine to serve as his designee.

 “It was the town administrator’s decision and I’m perfectly fine with that,” Ballantine said. “It’s within his rights.”

 Ballantine said he had a short meeting with McGrail a couple of weeks ago about serving as his designee. McGrail told him at that time that he had additional candidates to interview. Ballantine said on Friday that he got an email a couple of days ago announcing McGrail’s decision.

Ballantine has played a major role in the development agreement between the trust and Pennrose for the 60-unit multifamily residential development on the former Marceline property on 456 Queen Anne Rd. that is now going through the 40B permitting process.

 “I have mixed feelings,” said Ballantine about leaving the trust. “I hate to back away until projects are further down the road. But it’s 100 percent within his power and right, so I’m comfortable with that. Affordable housing is important to this community, but I’ll find something else to get in trouble with.”