CYNDI MURRAY PHOTO | Greenport resident John Saladino voices concern about the new alternate positions during the Village Board’s regular meeting Monday night.
The Village Board has created two alternate positions within the planning board and zoning board of appeals.
During the Village Board’s regular meeting Monday night, Mayor David Nyce said the four alternates are expected to vote on applications only if a regular member decides to recuse himself or herself for having a personal or business relationship with an applicant.
Prior to the Village Board passing a resolution to create the alternate positions, ZBA member David Corwin said he disagreed with the decision and questioned the need for extra board members.
“When a new member comes in, it really takes a few months to get up to speed,” Mr. Corwin said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “I really don’t see it working that well.”
Greenport resident John Saladino also criticized the move and described it as “an elaborate solution to a non-existent problem.”
“It almost like your stacking the boards,” he said. “There is a five man board. It’s always been that way.”
Mr. Nyce said the new positions were created after the chairs of both the planning and ZBA boards expressed concerns that some board members have a conflict of interest with pending application hearings. He did not say which applications are expected to have conflicts with board members.
Despite the reasoning to appoint alternates, Mr. Nyce cast the lone dissenting vote.
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