OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford EvaDawn Bashaw, right, takes an oath of office from Pomfret Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro to join the Pomfret Town Board.

The Pomfret Town Board has added EvaDawn Bashaw as a new member.

Bashaw rose from the audience to take an oath of office at the December Pomfret Town Board meeting. She was appointed to fill out the term of Ann Eckman, who resigned in September.

“We asked for letters of interest and we interviewed the interested candidates,” said Town Supervisor Dan Pacos.

Bashaw has a long history of public service. She was a principal for the Brocton school district in the 1990s and later worked in the Pomfret town office as a deputy clerk.

Bashaw was appointed to the Fredonia Board of Trustees in January 2020, also to fill a vacancy. She attempted to run for another term in November 2021 but was not elected and left the board that December.

Pacos was also sworn in as town supervisor, and Town Clerk Samantha Kellogg took her oath too. The rest of the board — including newly elected Kathleen Dennison, who attended the December meeting as an audience member — will take their oaths in January.

Pacos explained that the town supervisor functions as the town treasurer, and the clerk handles billing and taxes, so he and Kellogg had to take their oaths immediately. The town board can wait until it formally takes office in January.

Board member Christopher Schaeffer attended his final meeting. He did not seek re-election in November.

“It’s been my privilege to serve on this board for 12 years,” Schaeffer said. “It’s been quite a fun ride.”

As of January, the Pomfret Town Board will consist of Bashaw, Dennison, Mike Lee, Pacos, and Adam Rak.

Pacos said of the Pomfret Town Board, “We all respect and get along, and we generally agree.” He emphasized that when disagreements do happen, discussions are respectful.