MARION — The Marion Board of Health will soon see a new face as candidates interviewed to fill a vacancy that has been present on the board since August. 

Both candidates were asked about their qualifications and why they applied for the position during a joint meeting of the Marion Select Board and Board of Health on Sept. 27.

The first to appear in front of the board was Albin Johnson, who served for 23 years as a founding member of the Marion Board of Health and has a background in construction and real estate, he said. 

During his time on the board he was “the septic guy,” he said. Throughout his interview, Johnson emphasized his experience with town septic systems. Johnson said he was on the forefront of the adoption of Title 5 regulations which limited the amount of nitrogen pollution from the town’s sewers. 

Johnson applied for the position because “it would be a good fit,” he said. “I’m not out to break any boundaries.”

The second interviewee was Christina McMichael. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from New York Medical College as well as a master’s degree and “most of a doctorate’’ in nursing from Columbia University in New York City. 

According to McMichael, she has “done just about every job in nursing that you can imagine.” She worked for over 40 years as a nurse on Martha’s Vineyard and was the president of the Vineyard Nursing Association.  

McMichael said she applied for the position because “I don’t think there ought to be vacant positions on a town board of any kind.”

A candidate will be chosen through a joint vote by the Select Board and Board of Health. They will serve on the board until the next town election on May 12, 2023.