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Residents and board flag website posting, alternates and rules-of-procedure gaps
Summary
Public comments and board discussion flagged missing agenda/minutes on the town website, confusion over whether the planning board may appoint alternates (no warrant authorized), and next steps for rules-of-procedure edits and master-plan publication.
Public comment at the May 11 meeting raised concerns that recent meetings and agendas were not consistently posted on Brookfield's website, limiting public access and advance research. A resident who identified himself during comment said he could not find the April 30 meeting on the calendar and urged the board to post agendas earlier than the same day.
The board's staff acknowledged problems with the new website and notification system and agreed to check older pages and to ensure back minutes are posted. Members reiterated the board's 72-hour agenda posting goal and discussed sending clearer filing and posting instructions to the website vendor.
On procedural law, board research showed that the planning board's founding warrant did not explicitly authorize alternates; town counsel's research reached the same conclusion. The board agreed to remove alternate appointments from future agendas until a warrant article is prepared for a town meeting to authorize alternates.
Members also discussed rules-of-procedure edits and whether changes require a public hearing. The board noted RSA guidance does not mandate a hearing but that planning handbooks recommend one as a transparency best practice; the board will ask counsel for confirmation and file final rules with the town clerk when adopted.
Board members discussed the master plan update; a draft consolidation prepared with the aid of an AI-based edit was circulated and members agreed to move forward with publication while allowing later iterative changes.
