Resident urges broader Bridge Design Committee, asks Selectboard to clarify its authority

Deborah Granquist, a Weston resident, asked the Town of Weston Selectboard on Sept. 8 to broaden and clarify the Lawrence Hill Road Bridge Design Committee so it represents more than only nearby property owners.

Granquist said the bridge is “a Town-owned public asset” and wrote that the committee should include stakeholders who use the bridge and residents from other parts of town, not only those who experienced flooding. She requested the board "Establish a reasonable target size for the committee" and to "Identify the categories of stakeholders that should be represented," and asked that the Selectboard "Publicly solicit volunteers from the community who are interested in serving." The memo was submitted as part of public comment and the writer asked for the issue to be placed on the Sept. 22 Selectboard agenda.

Granquist also asked the board to clarify the committee’s authority before appointing members: whether the group would be an advisory body or possess decision-making power. "Who has legal authority to approve the bridge design and authorize construction—the committee, the Selectboard, or the voters?" she wrote, urging the Selectboard to define roles now to avoid confusion later.

The Selectboard recorded the memo in the minutes and agreed to add the topic to the Sept. 22 meeting agenda for further discussion.