Leland Gould, a former member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, has quit the board citing attendance difficulties.
In a May 23 resignation letter provided to The Times Record by Natalie Thomsen, the town’s land use planner, Gould said that his job made it “unreasonable” to attend hearings. The emailed letter also stated that the timing of his departure was due to the fact that there were now enough members on the board to function without him. Gould’s resignation follows the arrival of Michelle Dolly, an associate member who joined the board in March.
Gould, who also works for General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works in a manager of subcontracts position, submitted his resignation prior to the June 6 Zoning Board meeting.
Gould noted in the resignation that he planned to see through the Wilbur’s Wood appeal, which was the main focus of the June 6 meeting. He was present and voted in the final meeting to strike down the final arguments against the affordable housing development. Gould could not immediately be reached for comment.
For the Zoning Board, a quorum of five people is needed to conduct a session. With the current staffing, if just one member were unable to attend, a meeting cannot be held, according to Thomsen.
This nearly happened at the June 20 Zoning Board meeting, where proceedings were delayed as board members waited on one person to arrive.
Thomsen said that with Gould’s departure, there are now several spots open — one full-time position and three associate positions. To qualify as a candidate, the applicant must be a resident of Brunswick, though Thomsen said knowledge of the town’s ordinances is helpful.
Those interested in applying for a position on the Zoning Board of Appeals should contact Thomsen at nthomsen@brunswickme.org or call 725-6660.
Candidates can also apply at brunswickme.gov.
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