Vote NO on Town Warrant Article 24

Certain individuals in the Town of Millbury are attempting to take away our voice and our vote with Article 24 in the Town Meeting Warrant Articles. We need to vote "no" on Article 24 on May 3, 2022, to keep our Millbury Planning Board as elected officials rather than being appointed by the Town Manager. We all need to stay until the adjournment of the Town Meeting, so no one brings any article up for reconsideration and changes any voted outcome.

While certain individuals complain about certain members of the Millbury Planning Board, justified or not, the majority of registered voters can remove any member that is not fulfilling their obligation to the citizens of Millbury through a recall vote. As appointed members, registered voters will have no control whatsoever. Some have called this a "power grab," and no matter how you view this, it is exactly that.

Millbury’s Board of Selectmen appoint the Board of Appeals. If you watch those meetings, there is not much debate or discussion at all. If the Millbury Planning Board were appointed then there is a strong possibility that they could become a rubber stamp for whatever "certain individuals" in the town want, rather than what is best for Millbury as a whole.

Selectmen Christopher J. Naff, who is a realtor, and Jeff Raymond, who is a local opinionist [1], have pushed his/their agenda at board meetings and at a public hearing, through the local newspaper (online and in print), etc., all while trying to de-emphasize their roles in all of this. People should consider what their motives truly are and what they might stand to gain from Article 24 being passed, professionally or personally, if anything.

At least one other Selectmen publicly stated on the record that they are against an appointed Millbury Planning Board.

Millbury is our town and we must remain in control of it. We should all vote "no" on Article 24, to ensure our voices can be heard. The Millbury Planning Board is the most transformation board in the town.

This is not to say that the majority of registered voters may not need to make some changes in respect to certain Millbury Planning Board members. However, as an elected board, registered voters do have options available to us, should we choose to exercise our democratic right.

[1] one who holds an unusual or heretical [2] belief or opinion.
[2] opposite to or against the official or popular opinion, or showing no respect for the official opinion.