Doyle says he won't seek another term on Newbury Select Board

Dave Rogers, The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
·2 min read

Mar. 14—NEWBURY — Controversial Select Board member Mike Doyle announced Friday he will not seek another term in office once his current term expires at the end of June, saying his health is preventing him from running for reelection.

"It's not fair to voters to give them a partial job," Doyle said.

Doyle, 68, was censured by his colleagues back on Feb. 20, 2020, for treating Town Administrator Tracy Blais in a manner she and others at the town offices felt was overly aggressive and threatening.

He was also censured for participating in Triton District Communication Committee meetings — an action that contradicted his promise to forgo interaction with the district in his capacity as a Select Board member while also working for Triton.

Doyle resigned his position at the high school in October 2019 but not before participating in some of the committee meetings, according to town officials.

When asked why he was stepping down after his term ends, Doyle said he has survived COVID-19 twice but the potentially deadly disease has left him "ravaged."

"There comes a time in one's life that all good things come to an end," Doyle said, adding that it was time to step back and let some "new blood" represent Newbury residents.

Doyle originally served as a selectman in the early 2000s. After leaving, he won another term in office in May 2019, beating longtime incumbent Chuck Bear.

Almost immediately after his swearing-in ceremony, Doyle became the center of controversy for some of his actions and words.

By January 2020, two of his colleagues had accused him of violating the town's code of ethics for different offenses. Two months earlier, Blais filed a formal grievance against Doyle with the Human Resources Board after she said he raised his voice in her office when he thought she spread misinformation about him to a resident.

Doyle said he wanted to thank residents for their support during his time on the board.

Daily News correspondent Jen Solis contributed to this report

Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.

Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.