Russells Mills Historic District Commission appointments postponed to July

No one was appointed to the Russells Mills Historic District Commission during the Monday, June 15 meeting of the Select Board. This leaves the group without a quorum until the next Select Board meeting on Monday, July 13. 

While the Select Board received a number of applications for the Commission, every one came from members of other committees, which disqualifies them from becoming Commission members.

Town Administrator Cody Haddad explained that Dartmouth has a town bylaw that states that anyone in an elected position cannot be on another board unless they are representing their original board. For example, a Select Board member cannot be on the Commission unless they are acting as a representative for the Select Board. 

The Select Board agreed to elect members to the Commission at their next meeting, once the town has advertised the position more and received more applications. 

The town will also reach out to the Association of Engineers and Architects and the Association of Realtors Board for recommendations of who should be on the Commission. 

After receiving an application, the Select Board has 60 days to appoint or deny the application. As July 13 is within that window, they will review the applications then. 

Haddad stated they will at least have temporary appointments after the July 13 meeting, if not full-term members. 

One of the remaining members of the Commission, Doug Balder, asked what the Commission can do in the meantime. Haddad stated if an emergency situation arises, the town will work with the Commission to find a solution for them to meet publicly without a quorum. 

Select Board member Chris O’Neil noted that while the Board needed to remove four of the members of the Commission, the Commission did a lot of good work preserving land in the district in the past. 

“It’s a shame that they don’t get the accolades that they deserve on a lot of the things that they were able to preserve over in that area,” said O’Neil. 

Select Board Chair Heidi Silva-Brooks said that the situation made the Select Board aware that they need to be checking in on boards more often, and making sure that they’re following the rules. 

“[Andrew Spongeberg] also highlighted a problem that we have potentially on other boards and committees, that we as the appointing authority, need to do our due diligence and check in with these groups to see if they’re following the procedures,” she said.