Selectman William Hester, speaking as liaison to the Zoning Board of Appeals, told the board he had witnessed repeated inappropriate conduct by a ZBA member and moved that the board schedule a removal hearing under Article 16, paragraph 16(o)(1) of the town charter.

Hester said the grounds to be included in the notification letter would cite “a definite and continued bias against development within the Highland Lake District,” repeated willful misconduct, discussing ZBA applications outside public hearings and exposing the town to potential litigation. The board voted to give the member written notice and to set a hearing date consistent with the charter’s five-to-20-day window; the motion passed unanimously.

On appointments, the board amended and approved a motion to move Marissa Malanca from alternate to a full member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, with the term to match the seat she fills; the motion passed unanimously. The board also considered Mary Anne Marino’s application for an open seat on the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission. Marino told the board she previously served on that commission from 2020 to 2023 and had letters of support from current commissioners.

Why it matters: Board members raised a substantive conflict concern about an applicant serving on both the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Inland Wetlands Commission. Selectman Paul (surname not specified in the record) said permitting and wetlands cases “in theory” could give a single resident “2 votes on the same project” if they sit on both boards. Several speakers urged caution; others noted inland-wetlands matters often follow state statutes and may be less discretionary.

What happened next: The selectmen directed staff to prepare the removal notice and to place Marino’s application on the next agenda for further consideration; no additional appointments were made at the July 7 meeting beyond Malanca’s confirmation.

Ending: The board set the removal process in motion and signaled it will examine board membership rules and possible conflicts when considering appointments. No removal hearing determination was made at the meeting.