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Lakeville planning board considers retaining departing town planner as interim consultant
Summary
Departing Town Planner Nancy Durfee reviewed outstanding planning items, described handoffs to clerk and peer reviewers, and the board discussed possibly retaining her as an interim consultant while the town transitions to a new planner.
Nancy Durfee, the Town of Lakeville’s planner, attended the March 24 Planning Board meeting for her final regular appearance and reviewed outstanding projects and handoffs as she prepares to depart the position.
Durfee said she had met with the town clerk and two peer engineering reviewers to transfer information so the clerk can administer planning applications and enforce special conditions. "We did hold a meeting with both two of the peer engine engineer reviewers to kinda pass off information to Kathy so that she's getting the type of kind of information she needs to administer assistance to the planning board," Durfee said.
Board members said they value Durfee's continuity and asked the clerk to add an item to the March 27 agenda to discuss a possible interim consultant arrangement. Michelle McEachern said she would like the board to consider recommending Durfee as a consultant to the Select Board and to discuss funding options. "I hate to lose you," McEachern said. Several members expressed support for retaining Durfee in some capacity while the town completes hiring and ongoing projects.
Durfee also described administrative work she completed: preparing updated application forms (form A, site-plan review application) and consolidating checklists into Form C to match the rules and regulations, and making sure peer-review conditions will carry forward into construction with required pre-construction meetings and inspections.
Durfee outlined other potential technical-assistance options for larger redevelopment projects, including a zoning audit by consultant Jonathan Silverman (a proposal in preparation) and MassDevelopment technical assistance or MassWorks programs for schematic planning and grant-funded technical support. She said such programs typically provide consultants and schematic plans and can reduce the town’s administrative burden.
No formal vote was taken March 24 on a consultant contract. The board directed staff to place a discussion and possible vote about a consultant recommendation on the March 27 agenda for the board to consider recommending a consultant and potential budget sources to the Select Board.
