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Keene council appoints Jimmy Alcala to Type B EDC amid debate over councilmembers serving on boards
Summary
The council appointed Jimmy Alcala to the Keene Economic Development Corporation (Type B) board and tabled a planning and zoning appointment after a split discussion about whether council members should serve on citizen boards and about honoring board recommendations.
The Keene City Council on June 10 appointed Jimmy Alcala to the Keene Economic Development Corporation (Type B) board to fill a term ending March 2027 after a split vote and discussion about honoring board recommendations.
The Type B board had recommended Councilmember Chuck Easley be reappointed, but the council voted 4‑1 with one abstention to appoint Alcala; Councilmembers Foster, Shaw, Chapman and Gutwa voted in favor; Councilmember Smith opposed and Councilmember Easley abstained. The vote followed public commentary from Type B members who urged council to honor the board’s unanimous recommendation.
The council also tabled appointment of a planning and zoning commission candidate until staff can coordinate further applications; members discussed using broader outreach to solicit more applicants. During debate about appointments the city attorney reviewed a proposed policy draft that would restrict certain appointments and include nepotism provisions; councilors split on whether to add rules barring council members from board service or limiting board membership to one board at a time and asked the attorney to return options.
