The Board of Selectmen have a critical vacancy to fill – David Eagle’s seat on the Zoning Board of Appeals. On October 4th, selectmen will interview candidates.
Last night, Shea told the public that anyone interested should apply by next Wednesday, September 28.
[Editor’s Note: Recommended process from the past is to email the application form and resume to selectmenoffice@southboroughma.com. You can find the application here.]
According to BOS Chair Brian Shea, the two alternates plus four other residents have already thrown their hats into the ring. Notably, among them are Sam Stivers and Jonathan Green.
Stivers is a former ZBA chair and longtime member. He failed to be reappointed by selectmen in 2011 after developers and critical residents accused him and the board of having “an air of disdain” toward development in town. (Given recent accusations that the ZBA is too pro-development, that could be seen by some now as a plus.)
Two of the selectmen who voted on Stivers’ reappointment are still serving. Their vote was somewhat split. Both agreed not to reappoint. But John Rooney voted to move Stivers down to a 1 year alternate slot. Dan Kolenda voted against that, preferring fresh blood. In the end, Eagle was given the alternate seat.
Green is an outspoken opponent of the ZBA’s actions on Park Central. At the last ZBA meeting, two members asked for an armed officer to eject Green from the room after he derided the board’s dismissal of neighbors’ concerns.* (Some residents have commented that the board went too far. Scroll down for more on that exchange.)
Also vying for the vacant seat are residents Michael Robbins and Mark Pietrewicz.
As for the alternates applying – during the last go-round this summer, David Williams was passed over for promotion to the permanent post. Selectmen instead appointed Craig Nicholson. (Nicholson is a real estate developer by trade. But he impressed the board with his focus on improving communication and cooperation between boards, and professed interest only in development that makes sense for the town/community.) Alternate Jeffrey Walker had pulled his application at the last minute.
*You can see the exchange between Green and the ZBA here. Or – here’s my recap:
On August 24th, Green made multiple requests for conditions to the Park Central project. The board denied them. Eagle ended by saying the undefined parameters for the length of water shut off Green was worried about “was not a big deal”. Walking away, Green snarked:
Thank you. We know all of this is not a big deal to you guys. Thanks for your input.
Eagle shouted,
Sir, sir, we’re trying to keep this a little more professional!
When Green began angrily responding, Eagle exclaimed over him, “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the room, if you continue.”
While Green appeared to be preparing to leave, at former Chair Leo Bartolini’s prompting, Eagle asked an armed police officer to remove Green from the room. (The officer who was standing in the doorway simply turned and opened the door for Green.)
Updated (9/23/16 8:06 am): I had misspelled candidate Mark Pietrewicz’s name.
Let’s get Jon Green in there.
Hear all interviewees first, take notes ,listen carefully , selectmen will pick best for citizens, Mark Dassoni.
The BOS should nominate Dan Kolenda to this position! That way he could have the rare “power trifecta”–Selectman, School Committee Member, and ZBA member.
*ergh*
Thanks for the article. Minor point, my last name is spelled Pietrewicz. The spelling with the ‘o’ is common, but mine is with an ‘e’.
My apologies. I’ll have to update that.
Thanks!
Jon, don”t change your speech technique, it people like you that get full respect from fellow voters, you are a leader keep leading by example. Mark Dassoni