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Board flags gap in land-use staffing, considers adding zoning enforcement expertise
Summary
A selectman raised a persistent gap in land-use staffing: the town lacks a resident building official/zoning expert to advise land-use agencies. Officials discussed short-term coverage and options to recruit certified personnel.
Committee member (S3) pressed the board to address a gap in land-use support, saying the town no longer has a building official or zoning-enforcement officer who can advise inland and land-use agencies.
"We lost that and there was consolidation," S3 said, urging the board to find someone who knows the regulations and can advise what options boards have under the town's rules. S3 warned bringing in the town attorney for all questions is "a pretty expensive option" and argued for recruiting or assigning a regulatory expert who can attend meetings and guide boards on permissible choices.
S2 said the town currently uses a part-time blight officer, Mike Morganske, who is certified in zoning enforcement and could absorb some duties, and that staff are exploring whether other part-time or contracted options could provide the necessary expertise. S2 also said the administration is organizing internal responsibilities and will look for additional resources to support land-use agencies.
Board members asked staff to scope options and consider posting for certified expertise where required. No formal motion was recorded during this discussion; members agreed to return to the topic with possible staffing solutions and cost estimates.
