The Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is looking for a few good members.
The March 28 departure of Chairperson Christina Frangos was dealt with stunning ease during the ZBA’s April 8 Zoom meeting, in which Cynthia Callow volunteered and was immediately thanked and voted into the lead position by attending members Margie Baldwin, Jim Ryba, and Will Tifft.
Member Dr. Ed Hoffer, who is also the chair of the town’s Board of Health, was not present for the April 8 meeting. Tifft is an alternate member whom the ZBA hopes can swiftly be approved by the Board of Selectmen for full-member status. Ideally, Administrative Assistant Anne Marie Tobia told the board, the ZBA should have five full members and three alternates.
A public appeal for new membership was made, and necessary steps include an interview with candidates during a public meeting and a potential recommendation by the ZBA to the selectmen for a final decision of appointment.
“This is a fairly significant number of people we’re asking to bring on. Do you guys have a sense of what kind of people you like other than even-tempered and thoughtful and fair?” asked Tifft.
“I just think you have to have a level head and you’re willing to listen to all sides of the issue, and come to consensus,” said Baldwin.
“It’s really important that we have a quorum every time,” said Tobia, noting that the ZBA meets only twice per month. “If meetings stretch on and on like Heron Cove, we have got to have the same board, so snowbirds make it tough. As long as we are consistent.”
Tifft said that, as long as the Town of Marion allows its boards to meet via remote access (Zoom), “That makes it a lot easier.” Baldwin agreed, citing the case of a traveling board member available to join a meeting via Zoom. Tifft told the board he expects that there might be a lot of people, like himself, who would be willing to commit provided they can travel as he frequently does, and use Zoom to attend on those occasions.
Tobia said it is her understanding that Marion boards and committees will continue to meet via Zoom until at least the May 10 Town Meeting, then it will be a decision made by individual boards. “But I like the Zoom meetings, too, they’re easy. I have a good reference. If my recording goes awry for some reason, I like it,” she said.
Callow cited hybrid meetings, regularly used by some area boards including the Marion Conservation Commission, with anchoring Chairman Shaun Walsh at the police station while other members, applicants, and the public can attend via Zoom.
“A snowbird could do it … if somebody’s away, they can still tune in,” said Callow. “But it is tough … they need to commit to two Thursdays a month.”
Another sensitive aspect of ZBA member recruiting is the potential for personal agenda on the part of candidates.
“Sometimes, people with irons in the fire, once the iron gets fired their agenda is done and they leave,” said Callow, agreeing with Tifft’s cautionary remark on the subject. “They have an agenda and once their agenda is either met or they realize their agenda isn’t going to (realized), they up and quit.”
“I have my biases, but I don’t have a financial bias,” said Tifft.
“And I think you need someone that cares about the community,” said Ryba, whose impending resignation further impacts the board.
Baldwin suggested recruiting past members of the Planning Board, whose experience could prove valuable to a changing ZBA.
Louise Nadler, still listed on the town’s website as an alternate member, has not officially resigned but has not contacted Tobia in over a year. Callow’s term expires on June 30, 2023. Frangos’ term was scheduled to expire on June 20, 2024.
The April 8 meeting’s only scheduled public hearing, the continued Heron Cove, LLC development, was continued per an April 6 letter to the ZBA from attorney Mark Bobrowski. At the applicant’s request, the public hearing was continued to June 10 at 6:30 pm.
The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for Thursday, April 22, at 6:30 pm.
Marion Zoning Board of Appeals
By Mick Colageo