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ZBA abutter conflict prompts temporary substitution; Select Board to expedite packet distribution
Summary
A conflict-of-interest concern arose when the new land-use secretary was an abutter to a pending ZBA case. The Select Board agreed to have Judy Newman-Rogers step in for that case and asked that the case packet be distributed promptly; rules of procedure are under Town Counsel review.
Barbara Marty told the Select Board the Zoning Board of Adjustment was facing an unusual situation because the new land use secretary is an abutter to a case set on the final day of the statutory window. Marty said the timing left "no wiggle room or mistakes with posting" and recommended a temporary substitution to avoid procedural error.
Chairman Alfred Hanson offered Judy Newman-Rogers as a substitute for this case; the Select Board agreed that Newman-Rogers would step in for Peg Bastien for this hearing. Marty asked that the case packet be sent to ZBA members sooner than usual so members have adequate review time. She also suggested clarifying language in the Select Board’s rules of procedure — for example, definitions of "appearance of conflict of interest" and which officials count as officers or agents of the town — and noted that the Planning Board and ZBA rules are currently being reviewed by Town Counsel.
The Select Board did not vote on changes to rules at the meeting. The immediate action was to assign a temporary replacement for the upcoming ZBA case and to ensure timely distribution of the case materials.
