Hescock's death leaves many posts vacant

North Stonington - As family and friends plan to gather Friday to remember Bill Hescock, who died unexpectedly last week while on a holiday trip, town officials will start to consider how to replace the dedicated volunteer on local agencies that he served.

"We mourn the sudden passing of our friend and Board Chairman Bill Hescock," a posting on the Wheeler Library Web site said. "His death is a great loss to the community of North Stonington. We are immensely grateful for his tireless efforts in support of Wheeler Library."

The library, located at 101 Main St., will host a two-hour memorial service from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, with remarks and remembrances starting at 4:45 p.m. The Hescock family is seeking written submissions for a collection of personal memories and stories. Contact the library at (860) 535-0383 for information.

Hescock started as library board chairman a year ago and immediately set off to parlay a $100,000 grant the library received into a campaign fund drive to restore the depleted endowment. He wanted to raise $1 million over 10 years in the drive, said Amy Kennedy, Wheeler Library director.

Hescock launched the O.U.R. Library (Our Unique Resource) fundraising campaign and named the campaign. His family asked that donations be made in his name to the fund.

In November, Hescock completed his term on the Board of Selectmen and was elected to the Board of Education. He was appointed to the board's all-important Finance Committee, which will start discussing next year's budget on Jan. 13.

Hescock also served as chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, an organization that now must search for a nominee to fill Hescock's vacancy on the school board.

DTC Vice Chairman William Briscoe, who was elected to the Board of Selectmen in November in Hescock's former seat, now will preside over the search and town committee elections for officers. Briscoe said the town committee was scheduled to vote for officers on Tuesday, but he canceled the meeting after Hescock's death.

"It was just too soon," Briscoe said.

Briscoe said that after the memorial service, he will start searching for school board candidates. The town committee must recommend a nominee to the Board of Education, which must vote on the appointment to fill the vacant term.

Briscoe said he has a few possible nominees in mind and will send a notice to town committee members to seek recommendations. The town committee likely will schedule a special meeting to vote on the nomination.

"I really don't want them to go shorthanded into the budget process," Briscoe said.

Superintendent Natalie Pukas said the board's finance committee will meet next Wednesday to begin draft budget discussions. The full board's next meeting is Jan. 27, when the board is expected to vote on its budget schedule for the spring.

Briscoe said that after postponing the January Democratic Town Committee officer election, the committee must vote on officers at its Feb. 2 regular meeting.