Marrying your cousin

Earlier this week, the selectmen appointed Heidi Walz to the Historical Commission.

This wouldn't be news except for the fact that Heidi is already a member and chair of the Agricultural Commission; which wouldn't be unusual except for the fact that Sheryl Kozens, a member of the Agricultural Commission is also a member and chair of the Historical Commission.

Now I know both Sheryl Kozens and Heidi Walz. They're good people, and the subject of this post has far less to do with them than the fact that the selectmen have now appointed two individuals to serve on the same two committees.

Given the number of committee vacancies the selectmen need to fill, it's not terribly surprising that they would try to fill some seats by doubling up here and there. However, there's something unnerving about the practice.

What if the selectmen went on to appoint every member of the Council on Aging to the Human Services Committee? Or every member of the ZBA to the Energy Committee? It could be argued that such crossover helps open communication between the various town boards and committees, but it also calls these boards' independence into question. If every member of the Conservation Commission is also serving on the Cable Advisory Committee, where does the business of one start and the other end?

Like marrying your cousin, it may be perfectly legal, but there's still something creepy about it.