The Marion Planning Board met May 18 to appoint a new chairman and vice-chairman following the ousting of former Chairman Stephen Kokkins from the board by Jennifer Francis.
The board voted 4-3 in favor of Robert Lane, the former clerk, for chairman over Norman Hills, who was vice-chairman entering the meeting. Lane was nominated by Stephen Gonsalves, and Hills was nominated by Eileen Marum. The board also voted 4-3 in favor of Rico Ferrari for vice-chairman over Hills.
The position of clerk went to Hills over Marum in a 5-2 vote. Hills and Marum voted for each other. Hills was nominated by Ferrari, and Marum was nominated by Francis.
The position of representative to the Community Preservation Committee, which does not require a vote, stayed with Mike Popitz with no argument, as did the positions of co-chairs of the Master Plan Subcommittee, Hills and Ferrari. The position of representative to the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) stayed with Marum.
“We’re all here to do the Town’s work as best we can, and in the best interest of the community,” Lane said. “And I hope that we do so in a way that’s constructive and cooperative, and I look forward to that as we move forward.”
Lane said, in reference to recent disputes about the recording of meeting minutes from past meetings when Lane was clerk, once approved, there would be no further discussion of the form of the minutes, just their accuracy.
“With regard to the minutes, Norm (Hills) is our new clerk, and I’m sure he will prepare the minutes in accordance with the manner that he deems as appropriate,” said Lane. “And when the initial set of minutes is presented to the board from Norm, I hope to ask the board at that point to approve them both for form and accuracy.” Lane continued, “And once we have approved them in regard to form, then I will not have any discussion regarding form in the future. We will only deal with accuracy.”
Additionally, Lane delegated the task of finishing the unapproved minutes over the last year to Hills.
“Furthermore, because I know that Norm has strong feelings in regard to the minutes,” said Lane, “I have a lot of confidence in his judgment in regard to it and I will delegate the responsibility to him, if he’ll accept it, to complete the remaining minutes from the past year that have not been approved by the board.“
Hills accepted the assignment.
The discussion Lane referenced was one that has appeared several times at Planning Board meetings. During a past meeting, a heated discussion broke out between then-clerk Lane and both Marum and Hills regarding the form and accuracy of the minutes from a December 1, 2014 meeting. In that discussion, Hills voiced concerns that Lane had misrepresented his words in the minutes.
An April 21 discussion over those very minutes ended with a 4-2 vote to approve them, with Marum and Hills opposed.
Following the appointments, the board moved onto old business. Marum brought up concerns regarding the reports she and other board members file. Currently, Marum submits written reports to the board regarding her visits to SRPEDD meetings. She said she would like to present verbal reports on the matter as well.
“I think that any Planning Board member who attends a meeting should be required to give a verbal report as well as a written report,” Marum said. “I think this would be doing all the members a great favor so that we are all on the same page.”
Lane responded, saying that written reports should be submitted and can be read by each member of the board, and discussion will follow if deemed necessary. Marum then raised the point that, by reading the reports aloud, members of the audience would be able to learn more about the meetings.
“I think these meetings are televised,” said Marum. I think people … would like to know what their representatives to various boards or committees … are doing.” She continued, “Everyone who’s sitting in the audience doesn’t have the opportunity to read our summary reports; therefore, I am requesting that we be permitted to give a verbal report as well as a written report.”
Lane said it would be handled on a case-by-case basis, but not adopted as common practice.
The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for June 1 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Andrew Roiter
This Board will not get anything right. Just like a rerun of an old movie.