After the death of longtime Thorndike Selectman Jim Bennett, the remaining two members of the board have decided not to fill the vacancy.

The Board of Selectmen chose to leave Bennett’s vacancy unfilled until the 2016 Town Meeting, according to Selectman Larry Ward.

Thorndike First Selectmen Jim Bennett watches as ballot counters determine who won elections during the Town Meeting in March in Thorndike. Bennett died June 21, and the other two board members have decided he won’t be replaced until next year’s Town Meeting. Staff file photo by David Leaming

Bennett died unexpectedly June 21 after he was re-elected to his seat on the board in March.

The decision about whether to fill a vacancy on the board is made by its members. Thorndike doesn’t have a town charter that tells how to fill a board vacancy.

Ward said the board has two good members, so they didn’t think filling the vacancy was necessary. The other member is Larry Hustus.

“We think we can handle it until Town Meeting,” he said.

Ward said the people he’s spoken with in town had no objections to waiting for the next election to find a third board member.

“So far, everyone is happy with that decision,” he said.

Voters first elected Bennett to the Board of Selectmen in 2001, according to the town report, and they re-elected him every year.

Ward said Bennett was dedicated to Thorndike and spent his days at the Town Office and working on behalf of residents.

“He made it his life,” Ward said. “He did a good job. He looked out for the people’s interest.”

Outside his work in town government, Bennett was a bus driver for Unity-based Regional School Unit 3 for 30 years, worked as a carpenter and owned both Jim’s Auction House and Jim’s Dollar Stretcher, in Jackson, according to his obituary.

A celebration of Bennett’s life is planned for 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Thorndike Town Hall.

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