Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Minutes And Bylaws topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Plaistow ZBA debates delays in approving minutes, agrees to review bylaws
Summary
Board members disputed the timing and content of draft minutes and the distribution of Notices of Decision; the board approved the Oct. 30, 2025 minutes 2–1–1 and agreed to revise bylaws to set clearer timelines.
Members of the Plaistow Zoning Board of Adjustment spent much of their April 30 meeting disputing how draft meeting minutes and Notices of Decision (NODs) are prepared and circulated.
Member Theresa Kane raised concerns about delays in the Board’s review of minutes and said materials should be reviewed by the full board before distribution. Board member Ryan Labrecque said he had found the draft minutes and that he had responded with questions on Dec. 10; he urged that minutes and NODs be circulated and reviewed within the statutory timeframes. Chair Jim Unger said the board traditionally meets only when there are applications, which can delay approval of administrative documents.
The board considered a specific editing disagreement about bullet points in the Oct. 30, 2025 minutes. Labrecque said some bullet points reflected commentary he did not recall making and proposed removing them; Michael Murray cautioned that removing the bullets might suggest a discussion did not occur. The board voted on a motion to approve the Oct. 30, 2025 minutes as written. The roll call produced two yes votes, one no and one abstention (J. Unger – yes; M. Murray – yes; R. Labrecque – no; T. Kane – abstain); the motion passed.
Board members agreed to review and revise the ZBA bylaws to clarify timelines for receiving and approving minutes and for distribution of Notices of Decision. Several members suggested adding a specific timeline for when staff must distribute materials before a meeting and whether an additional meeting should be scheduled when there are no pending applications solely to approve minutes.
The exchange ended in direction rather than a policy change: the board did not adopt specific bylaw language at the April 30 meeting but set a next step to review and propose bylaw amendments for future action.
