Plaistow planning board appoints CIP members, names chair and begins search for new counsel

The Plaistow Planning Board designated two planning‑board representatives and an alternate to serve on a reconstituted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) subcommittee and named Dan Kane its chair. The board recorded appointments as “Mister LeClaire, CIP committee; Dan Kane, CIP committee; and Karen Robinson, alternate on CIP committee,” and designated Dan Kane as chair of the CIP committee. Board members also discussed legal representation after current counsel informed the town of a potential conflict of interest and would no longer represent the planning board. A board member said the firm had indicated a conflict and the board should secure independent planning‑board counsel not conflicted with other land‑use boards or town entities. The board discussed options including asking current counsel for referrals, using the New Hampshire Municipal Association marketplace to identify land‑use attorneys, and coordinating with the town manager and selectmen on contracting. The board also noted several administrative items: staff will circulate CIP and departmental inputs, planning staff and two planning board representatives will meet with the town manager on the 2026 planning board budget, RPC contract language (for regional planning commission services) is under review, and the master‑plan housing chapter drafted by the regional planning commission will be reviewed at a future workshop meeting. Board members asked staff to prepare a process and candidate list for selecting new counsel and to coordinate with the town manager and selectmen on the next steps; no formal contract award was made at the meeting.