By Bonnie Adams, Government Editor
Westborough – With the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) coming up on March 17, the Westborough Board of Selectmen (BOS) had a full agenda for its Feb. 28 meeting, the last one before the ATM. But first there was very important business to attend to; the lauding of two members, Lydia Goldblatt and George Thompson, who are both stepping down from the board.
The selectmen's room in Town Hall was packed with family members, town employees and residents who came to wish Golblatt and Thompson well at their last official BOS meeting. Selectman Tim Dodd started off the official tributes by thanking the two members, who between them have over 30 years of service to the town in different capacities of town government.
Several state officials, including state representatives Carolyn Dykema, D-Holliston, and Matthew Beaton, R- Shrewsbury, and state Sen. James Eldridge, D-Acton, presented citations to Goldblatt and Thompson.
“We wanted to pay tribute to you both for your service,” Eldridge said. “Thank you for your incredible hard work.”
Former state representative Karyn Polito, R-Shrewsbury, also attended the meeting.
“Thank you for your outstanding commitment to the people of Westborough,” she said. “It takes a special person to sit in the seat you are in now. You'se done your very best. You did it, you did it well and you should be proud of your commitments.”
Both Goldblatt and Thompson took a few moments to offer their thanks and reflections. They thanked their fellow board members, as well as past ones, the town's employees and the residents of Westborough.
“My advice to future board members is to always absolutely honor the town charter,” Thompson said, who is also a former School Committee member. “Always show utmost respect for fellow board members and the town employees.”
Noting that he was not really “one for poetry,” he said that a line from a [Lord Alfred] Tennyson poem had struck a chord with him some time ago.
“”Part of me is all of those I have met,”” he quoted.
“It has been a privilege to serve this community,” he added.
Goldblatt also noted that there were many in the town who had offered her support through her long tenure in town government, which included time on the Advisory Finance Committee and School Committee, as well as the BOS.
“Others made me look good,” she said. “It has been a privilege to serve. Thank you to everyone for your confidence in me.”
Thompson is an attorney with his own legal practice in Westborough. Goldblatt currently is the director of Constituent Services and the deputy state director for U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R, who is up for re-election in 2012. She has also held high-ranking positions in former Gov. (and current candidate for president) Mitt Romney's administration.
