With a little more than three weeks before the election, the Portsmouth Town Council is appointing two key figures in town tonight.
The town council will swear-in a new fire chief and tax assessor at tonight's meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.
Town Administrator John Klimm is recommending the appointment of Mathew Helfand of Cranston as tax assessor.
Helfand has extensive private sector experience, according to town records, and has been the tax assessor in Central Falls since 2009. He is a graduate of Emory University, where he received a bachelor's degree, and Ohio State University, receiving a master's degree.
Helfand will fill the post previously held by David Dolce, who served as tax assessor for 16 years.
Klimm will also recommend Michael Cranson for the position of fire chief.
Cranson, who has been serving as interim fire chief, has been a member of the department for more than 20 years.
The town of Portsmouth has been without a fire chief since June when long-time member of the Portsmouth Fire Department, Jeffrey P. Lynch, retired. Cranson was appointed interim fire chief shortly after the retirement.