Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Saco council hears strong public input and divided views on steering limits for planning board leadership
Summary
Public commenters and councilors debated proposed code changes that would bar licensed real estate brokers or active developers from serving as planning board chair or co‑chair; supporters cited optics and a grievance history, while multiple councilors urged disclosure and recusal instead of a profession‑wide ban.
SACO, Maine — Residents and councilors on Nov. 10 debated proposed amendments to Saco’s administrative code that would prevent a sitting planning board member who is a licensed real estate broker or an active developer from serving as planning board chair or co‑chair.
Sandy Gay, a land use attorney and former planning board member, urged the council not to adopt the draft amendments, arguing they could produce unequal treatment for some citizens and risk constitutional challenge: "it's very likely an equal rights violation," she told the council, and pointed to existing recusal procedures and the city's code of ethics as remedies.
Kelly Archer, a retired real estate broker and co‑filer of the grievance behind the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
