Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge caution on UDO restrictions and press council on fire territory payroll reporting
Summary
Public commenters questioned the UDO’s proposed commercial restrictions and raised oversight concerns about fire territory legal costs and payroll changes; commenters asked for clearer agendas and said the town should preserve options for existing businesses.
Several residents used the March 26 public comment period to press the council on development policy and fire territory oversight.
David Ryan (PO Box 513) raised accounting and governance concerns about the fire territory (MSLA), saying reported legal costs did not reconcile across packets and that recent payroll and shift changes appeared to have been implemented without clear executive board oversight. "This really doesn't look like leadership, it looks more like a last minute reaction under legal pressure," Ryan said, adding that inconsistent messaging to the public and firefighters was unacceptable and urging the council to address oversight lapses.
Resident John Raybelle, a frequent commenter on zoning, questioned the proposed UDO restrictions on commercial uses and cautioned that many self‑storage facilities and other businesses build single‑story structures for cost reasons. He argued the town risks "choosing winners and losers" by selectively restricting certain uses and asked how the town would treat existing businesses and special exceptions. "You're choosing winners and losers," Raybelle said.
Anthony Gary praised the parks department for a successful community event and urged staff to include colloquial project names on agendas (for example, referencing the Auburn Ridge project by its common name) to help residents identify agenda items more easily.
No council resolution of the payroll or legal‑cost issues was produced during the meeting; staff and council acknowledged the issues and said financial and legal questions tied to litigation may require cautious public discussion.
Next steps: Council and staff did not resolve the claims during the meeting; Ryan’s concerns about MSLA costs and payroll reporting will require follow‑up with the fire territory executive board and staff for any reconciliation or formal response.
