Sunderland Planning Board loses three members

Andrew McKeever

GNAT-TV News Project

SUNDERLAND — Three of the four members of the Sunderland Planning Commission are no longer serving on the board, leaving the chairman, Ed Bove, the only remaining member.

Lily VanHaverbeke’s appointment to the commission was “rescinded” following an executive session during the select board’s meeting on Monday, May 1. After meeting behind closed doors with Bove towards the end of their meeting, the select board unanimously voted to rescind or terminate her appointment to the planning commission. She was appointed to the planning commission in March 2016.

Board members declined to elaborate on the reasons for removing VanHaverbeke from the commission, describing it as a personnel matter.

Later that evening, two other planning commission members, Peter Luca and Scott York,  submitted letters of resignation to the select board, according to select board chairman Mark Hyde. No specific reasons were given for their decisions to step down from the commission, he said in an email.

Both resignation letters were one sentence-long statements saying that each were resigning from the commission; “with deep regret,” Luca stated. York said that it had been a pleasure working with the other members of the commission in his letter. No further reasons were stated.

The three departures leave the planning commission, which at full strength has five members, with only Bove, the chairman, remaining. One of the positions on the commission was already vacant. Three members are needed for a quorum to enable an official meeting to take place. According to Hyde, Bove  has suggested that two select board members be temporarily appointed to the planning board until the planning board can find new members.  This would allow the board to continue to function, Hyde stated in an email.

The next select board meeting is scheduled for May 15 and planning commission is set to meet next on May 24.

GNAT has reached out to both Bove and VanHaverbeke for comment.