<div dir="ltr">Carolyn is correct, a good chair will spend a considerable amount of time preparing for meetings and consulting with the Planning Director/Town Planner before meetings - particularly on controversial projects.<div><br></div><div>To chair effectively, the chair can't just 'show up'.<br><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr">Thank you<div><br></div><div>Richard Harris, AICP</div><div>PDR, LLC</div><div>Planning Consultant</div><div>413-335-5012</div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 8:07 PM Carolyn Britt via MassPlanners <<a href="mailto:massplanners@masscptc.org">massplanners@masscptc.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<p>Having been a professional planner and now serving as Chair of
our Planning Board in Ipswich, I find that being Chair takes a
great deal of time. Perhaps it is because I am also providing some
technical background (although our Planner does a good job of
this), I feel it necessary to show up as Chair being up to speed
on all the projects on the agenda. I probably spend 2 full days
preparing for any one meeting. Of course, that could be just the
demand level in Ipswich (meetings regularly go to 11 and beyond)
Multi-family housing in town is all by special permit by the
planning board. I have been advocating for an annual rotation in
Chair to lighten the load a bit. It is definitely a challenge for
anyone with a full time job to also chair a planning board.</p>
<p>I hope that gives you some food for thought.</p>
<p>Carolyn Britt, AICP</p>
<p>Chair, Ipswich Planning Board<br>
</p>
<p>Ipswich, Massachusetts</p>
<p>978-356-9881<br>
</p>
<div>On 2/14/2022 9:41 AM, Matthew Benoit
via MassPlanners wrote:<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal">ListServ,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What are your thoughts on rotating the
planning board chairperson annually at reorganization? Pros
vs. Cons?<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew C. Benoit, Notary Public<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Director of Community Development<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Town of Douglas<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">29 Depot Street<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Douglas, MA 01516<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">508-476-4000 x206<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.douglas-ma.gov" target="_blank">www.douglas-ma.gov</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
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