Charlie Ketchen chaired his final Alford Select Board meeting Monday. At 82, Ketchen has decided to step back from his select board role.

ALFORD — Every three years for the past 39 years, voters in the 450-person town have returned Charlie Ketchen to the Select Board.

But for the first time since the 1980s, his name won’t be on the ballot for that seat.

At 82, Ketchen has decided to step back as chair of the Select Board, though not entirely from public service. He is instead running unopposed for a seat on the Finance Committee.

Family, friends and former colleagues filled the meeting room Monday night for his final meeting as chair, surprising Ketchen with a celebration honoring his decades of leadership before sharing stories and cake.

Karen Ketchen, Charlie's wife, applauds during a celebratory speech about her husband's years of service to the town of Alford.

"The townspeople have been really, really good to me," Ketchen said. "I had a lot of fun with them and I enjoyed the 39 years here."

Though the agenda noted a celebration for Ketchen, he was surprised by its scale, including a visit from former state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli. When Pignatelli walked into the meeting room, Ketchen’s eyes widened. Pignatelli took a seat among Ketchen’s wife, three children and grandchildren, all of whom still live in the county.

Charlie Ketchen's family came to his final Select Board meeting as chair after 39 years.

"I'm very sad that you're leaving, but I'm so proud of you, and 39 years in this town, or any town, is a gift to the townspeople," Pignatelli said. "Charlie, you've been a gift to this community. You've been a gift to me personally."

Pignatelli spoke about Ketchen's determination, dedication and care. He said he's still impressed by the work Ketchen did to help get broadband internet in the town, way ahead of other communities.

Former state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli spoke about Charlie Ketchen's dedication to the town of Alford on Monday. "I'm very sad that you're leaving, but I'm so proud of you, and 39 years in this town, or any town, is a gift to the townspeople," Pignatelli said.

Ketchen is among the longest-serving Select Board members in the county, Pignatelli said, a few years short of the 44-year tenure of Dalton’s Tom Callahan.

"I'm here to start a petition that we write Charlie's name in for reelection for six more years so we can at least tie or break that record," Pignatelli joked, causing laughs throughout the room.

Charlie Ketchen reacts to former state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli joking that the town should write Ketchen in during the May election.

Pignatelli and Ketchen knew each other before they both got into politics. Ketchen was Pignatelli's go-to National Grid guy when he was an electrician.

"He was demanding on what he wanted to get done, but as long as you knew it, it was not a problem," Pignatelli said. "He would drop everything to go help people, and I think that's what made the difference, not only my electrical career, but he was always my sounding board for my political career, as well."

Ketchen is the holder of 39 years of institutional knowledge, Pignatelli said, which is why it's so great he is sticking around.

Administrative Assistant for Alford Roxanne Germain cuts the cake, celebrating Charlie Ketchen's 39 years on the Select Board.

"Charlie was always a voice that wasn't afraid to speak up, and that's what we need more of in government," Pignatelli said. "We need more public servants and less self servants. Charlie Ketchen epitomized the public servants."

Even when things didn't go exactly the way he thought they would, Ketchen said he still enjoyed the work and everyone he met along the way. He's excited to continue working on the town's finances.