By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven Select Board Chairperson Stasia Powers and Patrick Carr, a member of the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, had some tense exchanges at the SB meeting on Tuesday, 5/28/24.
The board spent a bit of time going over the annual appointments/ reappointments to the various boards, including the ZBA. Mr. Carr has been an associate member, and has asked to be a full member on at least one other occasion. This time around the SB had to appoint two full members for five-year terms, and one associate member for a three-year term. Five people had applied for those three slots, including ZBA chairperson Ken Kendall, Patrick Carr and Amy Goyer vying for the two full slots; and Joseph Almeida and Katharine MacPhail vying for the associate slots.
After some discussion, and hearing from all except Mr. Almeida, the board opted to appoint Mr. Carr and Ms. Goyer to the two full slots. Mr. Carr was appointed with a vote of 4-1, with board member Andrew Romano voting “no.” Ms. Goyer was appointed in a 3-2 vote, with SB Chairperson Stasia Powers, Charlie Murphy, and Mr. Romano voting “yes,” and Andrew Saunders and Keith Silvia voting “no.”
Ms. Powers then asked Mr. Kendall if he wanted to apply for the associate slot.
“I want the town to accept my resignation,” said Mr. Kendall, who had already told the board he had been on the board for 15 years, had only missed a handful of meetings during that time, and was currently the chairperson.
He said if being on the board for 15 years and being a call firefighter does not mean anything, then he wanted to resign, and he left the meeting.
The board then voted for Katharine MacPhail to fill an associate slot. Because the board had elevated Mr. Carr and Ms. Goyer from associate to full, that created two additional associate openings.
During the discussion before the vote, however, Mr. Carr took a shot or two at his favorite target, SB member Andrew Romano, who was appointed to the ZBA over Mr. Carr last year.
Mr. Romano had noted that he would vote for Ms. Goyer and Ms. MacPhail because during his time on the ZBA he learned that the board was not complying with the bylaws and the town could face lawsuits because of it.
He said it was “eye-opening” at a meeting with Town Counsel. He said just because a person has been in a position for a long time, does not mean the board has to keep them.
Mr. Carr said he wanted to clarify that the board had done nothing wrong, and there were no lawsuits.
“I resent you saying that,” said Mr. Carr directly to Mr. Romano.
Mr. Romano also said that the ZBA had approved a project they previously had rejected even though there were no changes to it, it was just a different board. Mr. Kendall disputed that assessment, saying there had been a change to the project.
In another ZBA related matter, Mr. Carr took the SB to task when Ms. Powers wanted to pass over agenda item D4, a discussion about ZBA bylaw and enforcement.
Ms. Powers said she wanted some clarification from Town Counsel.
Mr. Carr and Ms. Powers had a bit of a back and forth, with Mr. Silvia asking for the board to be polled.
Ms. Powers insisted the item should wait, saying it needed to be a “respectful discussion.”
She said she got no answers from the ZBA when she asked for clarification except for accusatory statements.
Mr. Carr brought up an old complaint about a shed the North Fairhaven Improvement Association constructed on town property without permission from the SB, although they did get a building permit. Mr. Romano was acting President of the NFIA at the time. Mr. Carr said he wanted to know if there were different rules for town properties, and he wanted to know why certain projects did not go in front of the ZBA.
A little bit of back and forth again between Ms. Powers and Mr. Carr, who said, “Let me say what I want to say and then you..”
“Are you running this meeting?” asked Ms. Powers. “Because you are telling me what you are going to do. Let me tell you.”
Mr. Carr accused the board of not wanting the information out to the public.
“What are you accusing me of,” asked Ms. Powers.
“It’s very simple,” said Mr. Carr, adding that the ZBA wanted the information out in the public.
He handed out a sheet with four questions asking who has authority, the SB or the ZBA, what their roles are, and how violations are addressed. The sheet also contains a statement that there are three buildings erected on town properties that needed to go before the ZBA for variances and did not. However, it is unclear which properties he is talking about. The NFIA shed did not require a variance, just permission from the SB. That building was discussed at he 12/4/23 meeting (see FNN 12/7/23 issue).
Mr. Carr did not specify which other buildings he was referring to.
He also admitted that the sheet was created by him and teh ZBA chair, not the whole board.
The Select Board voted to authorize Town Counsel to advise the ZBA.
During the public comment period Mr. Carr took another shot at Mr. Romano, accusing him of an ethics violation because he voted to appoint Ms. Goyer to the ZBA.
Mr. Carr said the two had a business relationship. He said he would be contacting the Ethics Commission and would be filing an Open Meeting Law complaint (although it was unclear what that would be for).
Mr. Romano, a realtor, said he helped Ms. Goyer find a house to buy, but that was the only business transaction they had. He said he already checked with the Ethics Commission and he filed a disclosure with the Town Clerk’s office.
He said there is “no financial relationship” between him and Ms. Goyer.
Mr. Carr insisted, however, saying Mr. Romano helped her “secure a house,” and that’s working with someone in business. He then railed against the decision to appoint Ms. Goyer and remove Mr. Kendall.
The meeting is available on demand at www.FairhavenTV.com
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