Marblehead postpones appointments to finance board

MARBLEHEAD – Selectmen are finding it?s not as easy to attract and appoint volunteers as it used to be, and as a result they are still seeking applicants for the Finance Committee.Board members have postponed appointments to the Finance Committee until September in hopes of attracting more applications.?We should have a large pool of applicants,” Selectmen Chairman Jackie Belf-Becker said, blaming summer vacation schedules for the board having only two applications for Steven Haskell?s former seat on the committee.Both candidates have been interviewed.Philip Mancuso told the board he has 30 years accounting experience and is a 20-year Marblehead resident. Rolfe Lofmark is a corporate vice president and has lived in Marblehead most of his life.Board members also interviewed Mike Weed for a vacancy on the Historical Commission. Weed is the nephew of Selectman Harry Christensen, who serves on the commission, but he expressed some misgivings.?I have always been a history buff, but the (commission) meeting times are a concern.”The commission meets one Tuesday morning a month at Abbot Hall.?I work in Boston and even a 4 p.m. meeting would be difficult,” Weed explained.Selectmen placed Weed?s application on hold and Belf-Becker told him he could withdraw if he needed to.The board had better luck with the Marblehead Forever Committee, which celebrates the town?s history and contributions to it by local residents.For years, Fraffie Welch has occupied the only seat on the five-member committee. She will be joined by attorney Andrew Christensen, son and law partner of Selectman Christensen, custom design center proprietor Linda Doliber, 34-year town employee Kerry O?Shaughnessy and selectmen?s secretary Kyle Wylie. Doliber also volunteered on Marblehead?s 350th anniversary celebration committee.