BY ADAM ATKINSON
North Country This Week

CANTON — The town council has appointed longtime local public radio journalist Martha Foley Smith as a council member for 2021 to fill the vacancy left by former councilwoman Karin Blackburn.

However, prior to naming Foley Smith to the council seat, the board was again criticized for their handling of Blackburn’s appointment to the town clerk’s position last week.

Blackburn resigned from her elected council post Dec. 18 and was appointed as interim town clerk on Dec. 31 to fill out the remaining term of then retiring clerk Lisa Hammond.

Foley Smith was one of four people who expressed interest in serving as an interim council member, said Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley at the board reorganizational meeting Wednesday, Jan. 6 when Foley Smith was named to the council seat.

The council seat will be on the ballot for the November 2021 election for the remaining two years left on the regular term, 2022-2023, said Town Councilman Jim Smith at the Jan. 6 meeting.

Last week, the appointment of Blackburn to the clerk’s post raised the ire of some members of the public due to the timing of her resignation from the council, her connection to the council members making an appointment, and for the board members choosing her over deputy clerk Heidi Smith. Smith was recommended to the post by retiring clerk Lisa Hammond.

John Taillon, former town recreation director, was critical during public comment at the Jan. 8 meeting of the board’s handling of the whole thing.

“I’ve known some of you board members for a long time and I’m very disappointed in the lack of transparency and the obvious ramrodding of your own agendas and not listening to the people who voted you into office,” Taillon said. “For example, during last week’s vote to appoint the town clerk, you were in such a hurry and thought you already knew how it was going to go, you didn’t take the time to clarify Councilman Smith’s vote. Everyone at that meeting would have liked it to have been clear what his vote was.”

Taillon was critical of the board’s handling of the Jan. 6 appointment as well. “Once again, no transparency,” he said, stating that the board did not provide an opportunity for more people to submit a letter of interest in the council position. He added that when he inquired about the position last week, the council members he spoke with said they could not provide any information about the qualifications or consideration process.

“It was pretty obvious you already had somebody lined up on the resignation the previous person was submitting. The people of Canton deserve better,” Taillon said.

Foley Smith is a long-time local journalist who covered North Country government and feature news for decades. She is perhaps best known for her time as news journalist at North Country Public Radio where she worked from 1980 till her retirement in July 2019. Prior to that she was employed by the Plain-dealer as a reporter and editor. She first came to the area for college in the 1970s and settled on Boyden Road after college. She and her husband, boat builder Everett Smith, have three children, Emmett, Evan and Ethan.

Town Councilman Bob Washo said he appreciated the other three candidates who expressed interest in the position and that they were considered for the seat by the board. “And I want to especially thank Martha for stepping forward and making herself available. I look forward to working with her,” Washo said.

“I’ll echo that. To have someone of Martha’s experience and knowledge of regional issues is a huge win for us. And I think she will be a great resource for us on the board and for everybody in Canton,” said Town Councilman Tim Danehy.

“One of my first assignments for the Plain-dealer was to cover the town board. It was all Republicans and it was really easy, easy Louisee, in those days,” said Foley Smith. “I’m happy to be able to participate . . . in our government system. And, I’m honored that you guys are appointing me.”

“I hope to be an asset and not too much of a deficit,” Foley Smith told the board members.