MARION — The Marion Assessor’s Office will start the new year off strong as its board returns to full capacity. 

Peter Winters was unanimously appointed to a vacant position on the Marion Board of Assessors during a Dec. 7 meeting of the Marion Select Board. 

Winters will serve as an appointed member of the board until the next town election in May. He filled a vacancy left by longtime Board of Assessors Member Catherine Gibbs, who died in September.

Winters was one of three applicants who applied to the position at a Nov. 15 meeting of the Marion Select Board.  

“I thank the rest of the candidates for putting their names in, they did a great job,” said Select Board Chair Randy Parker. “But Peter is the standout — no question.” 

According to Winters, he holds a master’s degree in tax law and business administration with a concentration in finance from Boston University. He has worked as a lawyer for over 30 years.

“I’m always looking for a new challenge,” said Winters during his interview on Nov. 15. “The [assessor’s office] is something that mixes my interest with finance and law.”

Prior to serving on the Board of Assessors, Winters sat on the Marion Planning Board for seven years and Finance Committee for eight years. 

Winters said that his experience with client confidentiality in his law practice will carry over into the often-sensitive and confidential matters that come before tax assessors. 

“I take confidentiality and privileged communications very seriously,” said Winters. “It’s important that people trust their public servants. If they don’t have trust in their government we cease to function as a society.”