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Residents urge more involvement after council posts affordable‑housing committee charge
Summary
Residents of the Affordable Housing Committee and local volunteers said the administrator's proposed committee charge was circulated without consultation and urged removal of a clause requiring the committee to provide recommendations only when requested; the council received the memorandum and deferred substantive discussion until Sept. 21, 2026.
Several residents and committee members criticized a proposed charge for the Affordable Housing Committee that they said was posted without prior consultation with the committee. Lawrence Frank, a committee member and resident, said much of the proposal duplicates the committee’s existing work and singled out Item 5 — language saying the AHC "will provide recommendations to the town council when requested" — as a restriction that should be removed.
"Item 5 states, the AHC, quote, will provide recommendations to the town council when requested," Lawrence Frank said, urging the council to remove the clause and not prevent the committee from addressing housing issues proactively. Mark Donahue, another committee member, said the group expected to review the draft in their upcoming meeting and provide feedback. Town staff (Speaker 6) said the memos were circulated so councils and committees could review them over the month and that the intent was not to direct committee work but to record advisory status. The council voted to receive the memorandum and continue discussion at the regular meeting on Sept. 21, 2026.
Council and staff noted the memos are being placed on the agenda so committees have a chance to review and prepare substantive feedback, and staff encouraged committee members to provide proposed edits in advance of the September discussion.
