Selectmen remove $9,439 planning‑board clerk request, agree to trial shared clerk

The Acushnet Board of Selectmen on Sept. 26 removed a $9,439 request from the fall town meeting warrant that would have funded a part‑time planning‑board clerk and instead directed staff to trial a shared clerk arrangement.

Mark Francois, chairman of the planning board, told the board the planning office lost its part‑time clerk in February and is asking for roughly $9,439 to restore staffing for the remainder of the fiscal year. “All we’re asking for is the same as we had in fiscal 25,” Francois said, recounting the board’s staffing needs and the planning board’s limited administrative support.

Several selectmen urged the board to honor an earlier memorandum of agreement that would have the building‑department clerk, Miss Walsh, take on planning‑board duties on a trial basis. One selectman said the arrangement “was never tried” and urged the board to put the plan in motion and reassess “if it doesn’t work.” Other members raised concerns about logistics and workload if one clerk covered building, planning and ZBA duties from a different office.

The board agreed on an on‑camera plan to have Lori (the building‑department clerk) begin handling planning‑board clerk duties within two weeks, with 30‑day reviews to assess workload and effectiveness. If the arrangement fails, selectmen said they will consider reinstating a dedicated part‑time planning clerk at spring town meeting.

A motion to strike the $9,439 planning‑board request from Article 2 was made, seconded and carried by voice vote.

The decision preserves the option to return the funding to the warrant if the trial does not meet operational needs; selectmen said the spring town meeting would be the point to request a permanent appropriation if necessary.