Londonderry conservation commissioners object to unexplained deletions in town strategic plan

The Londonderry Conservation Commission on the record objected to a set of redline edits to the town strategic plan that, members said, remove performance indicators and action items needed to implement the master plan.

Commission members said the deletions were presented with no rationale and leave the plan’s goals unmeasurable. “They were just delete, delete, delete,” one commissioner said, describing the redline edits. Another commissioner said removing those metrics “eliminates accountability and transparency” and makes it harder to track progress and retain staff.

The commission discussed the edits at length and agreed to support the town manager’s position defending the plan’s current language. Members urged a collective response: drafting a strongly worded objection to submit as public comment on the council agenda item and preparing to speak at the Town Meeting. Commissioners set an informal deadline to have proposed language ready by Friday ahead of Monday’s meeting.

Commissioners emphasized that the deletions affect more than wording: several said the changes would effectively shelve the master plan the town paid to develop. One commissioner asked the group to specifically mention the master plan and the loss of KPIs in any submitted comments.

The commission did not vote on a formal resolution at the meeting but agreed on next steps: designate a writer to prepare the comment, circulate the draft to commissioners, and, if necessary, present the commission’s position at Town Meeting. The chair directed members to submit written public comments through the Town Council agenda link to ensure the record reflects the commission’s objections.

The commission also approved the minutes of June 23 later in the meeting and adjourned.