The Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission and supporters of a citizen petition spent two hours on Jan. 6 negotiating how to revise the regional commission's enabling legislation but did not take a formal vote, instead asking staff to draft merged language for further review.

Facilitator Julie Fitzgerald opened the meeting by summarizing the process and timeline: "this is proposed warrant articles that would amend the enabling legislation for a regional commission," she said, noting the commission has a Jan. 21 deadline to submit a warrant article and that any article approved at town meeting would then go to the Massachusetts Legislature. Commissioners also agreed to rename the body the "Nantucket Regional Commission" to reduce confusion with the municipal planning board.

A central dispute was how many planning-board members and at-large seats the regional commission should include. John Kitchener, a planning-board member, argued the board's elected members could be represented by two rotating slots and said two "should be able to represent the views of five." Some planning-board advocates, including Matt, urged keeping three seats to preserve institutional continuity.

The most contested issue was whether at-large seats should be appointed by the county commissioners or directly elected. Petition supporter and commissioner Hillary Raybort said the citizens' petition represents a compromise and emphasized the petitioners' goal of bringing more accountability and long-range planning. Opponents, led by Brooke Moore and other commissioners, said elections create time and cost barriers that can exclude prospective members. "That is the one thing I will never support: elected positions at-large," Brooke said, arguing appointment offers a less exclusionary path to service.

Commissioners discussed several possible compromises, including a mixed approach with one elected at-large seat or a combination of appointed and elected positions. They also debated adding or refining sector seats to guarantee representation for conservation, housing, historic preservation and social services. On preserving historic resources, staff and commissioners discussed whether the Certified Local Government or the Nantucket Historical Commission should serve as the appointing body for that sector seat.

The citizens' petition also proposes a soft term limit (nine consecutive years). Supporters argued term limits would promote turnover and bolster the commission's change agenda; opponents called term limits unnecessary for an advisory body and noted prior town votes on term limits had not passed.

With time expiring, commissioners agreed to reconvene and asked staff to prepare written draft language that merges the two proposals. Chair Abby Demolino said staff would meet with petitioners to review the draft before the next public meeting. The meeting adjourned by recorded vote after a motion from Mike Mizzarelli and a second by Brooke Moore. The session was recorded and staff said the transcript and minutes will be posted online.