By Dolores Sauca Lorusso

UPDATE: The HRA meeting scheduled for Monday, June 26 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, June 28 at 5 p.m.

With the results of the annual town election settled, the new members of the Hull Redevelopment Authority said they are eager to get to work.

Newly elected HRA members Daniel Kernan and Adrienne Paquin. [SKIP TULL PHOTO]

Daniel Kernan said he is “excited about the mission,” because up until now he has “convinced a lot of citizens to vote for me, but have not had the opportunity to convince anyone on the board to vote with me.

“I have no preconceived notions of working with the board, just high hopes,” he said. “I support going in the right direction and being part of a team. It is not about me it is about the community; done right the HRA can create a legacy for generations to come.”

Adrienne Paquin, born and raised in Hull, says she is “looking forward to our first meeting and getting to work.” In previous statements, Paquin has said the was “motivated to get involved with the HRA out of a desire to serve the town and concern for the land itself.”

The meeting on Monday, June 26 will be the first time the HRA has met since the election results were certified on June 13. On the original date of the election in May, a fire blocked the road to the polls and delayed the outcome for about a month.

On May 15, Patrick Finn held a 15-vote lead over Kernan for the five-year HRA seat; however, on June 13, Kernan claimed a 126-vote victory, 1,340 to 1,214. Paquin won a three-year term, defeating Edwin Parsons, 1,640 to 806.

HRA Chair Bartley Kelly said he is “looking forward to getting to work with the new members as we continue the [Urban Renewal Plan] process.” Monday’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be conducted over the Zoom platform (access link on town.hull.ma.us).

Unrelated to the election uncertainty, the HRA now has an open seat, following the unexpected death of state appointee James Tobin on May 30. Tobin has been described as “an overall town hero and dedicated public official with unquestionable commitment to the people of Hull.”

**STANDING PAT.** Patrick Finn, who came up short in the final election vote tally, said this week that he will not apply for the state-appointed seat on the HRA. [JOE BERKELEY PHOTO]

Kelly, explaining he just returned from vacation, said he will be “reaching out to the governor’s office to get someone appointed as quickly as possible…the sooner the better; we want a full complement as we work through the process.”

According to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 121B, Section 5, if the state Department of Housing and Community Development “does not fill a vacancy in the position of that member within 120 days from the date that the vacancy is created, the board of selectmen shall appoint, in writing, a person by a majority vote to fill such vacancy for the unexpired term.”

Finn told the Times that some of his supporters have asked him about his interest in the appointed seat on the HRA, but he said he would not apply.

“If I had gotten elected, I was allowed one elected and one state appointed seat,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to have two appointed seats, so I would not expect the governor to consider appointing me unless I resign from the zoning board [of appeals].

“I would not leave the zoning board because I care about housing choices and helping people,” he continued. “I believe staying on the zoning board is the best way for me to continue serving the community of Hull.”

“Just because I am not elected to the HRA does not mean I will stop going to meetings,” he added. “I will continue to be a part of the process for as long as it takes.”

Two items on the agenda for Monday’s meeting are the board reorganization and the Urban Renewal Plan public meeting schedule.

“How quickly we move forward depends on how soon the consultants finalize the financial data and impact information,” Kelly said. “The goal is to hold the next set of public information sessions toward the end of July; we hope to clarify specific dates Monday.”

More details are available on the HRA’s website, www.hra02045.com.

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