HOULTON, Maine — Houlton’s two remaining councilors appointed three men Tuesday night to fill three of five vacant seats.

The move gave the council a quorum following the resignations of five members in the aftermath of the town manager’s September felony arrest.

Town attorney Dan Nelson explained to a crowd packed into council chambers that it was the job of the remaining members of the Town Council — Edward Lake and Eileen McLaughlin — to repopulate the board according to the town charter.

“They will need to try to appoint three additional council members and after they are sworn in, [the council] can resume council activities,” Nelson said.

The three council appointees — Jeffrey Maguire, Jantzen Craine and John “J.J.” Schools — will serve one-year terms ending at the 2026 November e

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