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Easton selectmen appoint litigation counsel for Strong on Center case, reappoint multiple commission members and note Plum Tree Lane hearing
Summary
The Easton Board of Selectmen appointed attorney Steve Stafstrom to represent the town in Lovejoy v. ZBA and approved him to provide counsel for the upcoming Strong on Center ZBA hearing; the board also reappointed multiple commission members and discussed the Plum Tree Lane wetlands hearing, which was modified to 29 townhouses and handled by outside counsel.
At the Jan. meeting, the Easton Board of Selectmen approved appointing attorney Steve Stafstrom to represent the town in Lovejoy v. ZBA and later approved hiring him to assist with the Feb. 3 ZBA hearing on the Strong on Center permit dispute.
The board first voted to appoint Stafstrom to the Lovejoy v. ZBA superior court matter (motion by Dan Lent; seconded by Nick D'Addario) and then unanimously added agenda item 7a to consider hiring counsel for the ZBA hearing; the board approved Stafstrom to work on Strong on Center in a subsequent vote.
The minutes show residents raised concerns that a special permit for Strong on Center was issued incorrectly and that the Zoning Enforcement Officer had expanded its size and location; one resident suggested the Planning & Zoning Commission — not the Zoning Board of Appeals — should consider revocation and the board suggested the resident file a written request with ZEO Jeff Borofsky to begin review.
The board also completed routine reappointments: Anthony Battaglia (alternate, Conservation Commission/Inland Wetlands), Washington Cabezas (member, Conservation Commission/Inland Wetlands), Daniel Simonelli (Municipal Agent for the Aging/Director of Social Services, four-year term), Logan Shedd (Pension and Employee Benefits Commission), and Steven Waugh (alternate, Planning and Zoning). A motion to reappoint Scott Charmoy to the Zoning Board of Appeals failed to receive a second; the board instead appointed Ed Czernik as a ZBA alternate in a 2–1 vote (Dan Lent and Kristi Sogofsky in favor; Nick D'Addario opposed).
Separately, Dan Lent said the Plum Tree Lane wetlands public hearing for a proposal originally described as 60 apartments and nine townhouses had been modified to 29 townhouses; the minutes note the hearing was handled professionally by the town's wetlands litigator Keith Ainsworth and chaired by Dori Wollen.
The board's motions on appointments and counsel were recorded as approved in the minutes; the meeting adjourned later that evening.
