Ted Kurtz resigns from Paris board

PARIS — At 9:51 a.m. on June 18, Ted Kurtz announced his immediate resignation from the Paris Board of Selectmen.

In a a brief email addressed to Board Chair Bob Kirchherr, Kurtz laid out the reason for his resignation.

"My law partner of many years is leaving our practice later this month. I need to direct my time and energy to my law practice," Kurtz wrote.

When reached for comment on Monday morning, Kurtz iterated the reason for his departure from the board.

"Looking forward to how I spend my time and energy, I want to put it into productive things and I really ... need to devote a lot of it to my law office," Kurtz explained.

Kurtz said that Allen Perry, his law partner of 16 years, recently announced to him "out of the blue," that he would be leaving the practice at the end of the month to practice law in a different situation.

Although he has mixed feelings about his resignation, Kurtz says that the alternative would be to shut down his law practice.

"At the age of 77, I don't have the energy or the time to do both," said Kurtz. "There's just not time for it."

Kirchherr said that Kurtz's departure would again bring the board down to four members.

Because a motion needs at least three members to pass, Kurtz's absense could complicate the board's operation until a new member is elected, Kirchherr said.

Kirchherr said that the town will to hold a special election to fill Kurtz's seat, but was unsure of when the election would occur.