Letter: Our Planning Board members deserve pay too

Posted 5/18/16

To the editor:

At the recent Town Meeting, voters approved pay raises for an array of employees and board members, reflecting the support of an appreciative community. The article setting the …

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Letter: Our Planning Board members deserve pay too

Posted

To the editor:

At the recent Town Meeting, voters approved pay raises for an array of employees and board members, reflecting the support of an appreciative community. The article setting the compensation schedule stated "for all elected and appointed" officials. However, omitted were members of the Planning Board who, to my knowledge, have never received compensation for their services. I’ve always wondered about this exclusion, which has been explained away with comments that it is the tradition or has always been that way. 

The Planning Board performs critical functions for Westport. It maintains a Master Plan which evaluates nine major categories with action plans for the future. Included are housing, economic development, and land use, all needing oversight. On the town web site the Planning Board section contains a copy of the comprehensive Master Plan published in 2004. It is well worth reading because it discusses issues facing Westport with recommendations. Also on the web site are ongoing updates to keep the Master Plan a relevant, living document.

The Planning Board devotes many hours reviewing applications, researching laws, visiting sites, identifying and resolving issues, and recommending new bylaws or reviewing existing ones for possible revisions. Some members sit on other committees as liaisons to the Planning Board, and significant time is spent preparing for the bi-weekly public meetings held to review and act on applications. 

All this effort and expertise goes uncompensated, yet I have never heard a complaint. Planning Board members are elected to five-year terms, readily committing themselves to a long period of uncompensated work. We have been extremely fortunate that so many outstanding people have served, providing Westport with sound, sensible guidance, striving to keep intact the rural qualities of our town as we face pressures inherent in continued growth. We should not take them for granted. It is only fair and just that they also be compensated for their efforts. 

Phil Hudner

Westport

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.