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Board weighs part-time contracted planning support and longer-term planner hire
Summary
The Select Board reviewed a proposal to increase contracted professional services for planning (about $21,000) to cover part-time planner duties and discussed whether hiring a full-time planner would be justified given the workload of ordinance updates, site review, and grant work.
Board members and planning staff discussed changes to planning and CEO account lines intended to clarify responsibilities and pay. Staff reorganized account lines to separate the CEO, planner and assistant-planner roles and proposed increasing the professional-services line to cover a part-time contracted planner (about $21,000) rather than adding a full-time staffer immediately.
Michael, identified in the meeting as the towns planner, said the workload — ordinance updates triggered by state rule changes, site-plan reviews, and grant writing — is substantial and that the town currently gets roughly two-and-a-half days a week of planner coverage. "There's enough work for a full-time job," Michael said, arguing that contracted services are a transitional approach while the town evaluates whether a permanent position is warranted.
Members discussed training requirements for review-board members and the potential to offset contracted costs with permit and application fees. The board agreed to continue the conversation and asked staff to refine the professional-services scope and potential full-time cost comparisons for the March 9 meeting.
No formal staffing change or contract was approved at this workshop.
