Lakeville changes strategy to fill vacant Town Planner position

LAKEVILLE — Town officials voted to post a part-time Town Planner position during an Aug. 5 meeting, in hopes of filling the role that has remained vacant since early this year.

The Lakeville Planning Board and Select Board members discussed alternatives to the full-time planner position, which has been posted since March 24 but has not produced a suitable candidate. Officials cited growing concerns about the vacancy’s impact on development projects and procedural workloads.

Planning Board Chair Michele MacEachern emphasized the board’s need for a planner to help carry out decisions and coordinate special projects.

“What you need is someone in-house who is able to be the carry-through for all of these committees in order to get anything done,” MacEachern said.

She said projects such as updating zoning maps, analyzing buildable land, and securing grant funding have stalled without a planner. MacEachern also noted the value brought by former planner Nancy Durfee who had experience and connections.

“If we start thinking about part-time, we're not able to take on the other parts that need to be addressed in order to make us more proactive,” she said.

Planning Board member Daniel Wilga said the volume of incoming development plans is overloading the board’s capacity to process applications, especially with the board meeting only twice a month. He credited Durfee with helping reduce a backlog of site reviews, permit application and compliance with the state.

Wilga also raised concerns about an increasing number of applications for accessory dwelling units.

“They are not going away,” he said. “The state has pretty much relaxed a lot of laws with building permits and so forth. A lot of things are changing — and changing by the month. To say I’m worried is an understatement.”

Select Board Vice Chair Lorraine Carboni said the board has advocated for a full-time Town Planner, but applicants have not met expectations.

“The pool was shallow, or maybe the qualifications weren’t there that we were expecting,” Carboni said.

Facing difficulty in hiring a full-time planner, Select Board Chair Maureen Candito said the town is now weighing whether to hire a less-experienced candidate full time or a more-seasoned professional part time.

“[We’re] trying to capture both sides of it to try to find a fit,” Candito said.

Wilga said a part-time planner could work, but warned of added consulting fees and limited availability creating additional delays.

MacEachern added that permit applications have remained steady and are expected to increase.

Town Administrator Andrew Sukeforth said he has been cold-calling all applicants but noted that the $89,600 salary has deterred potential hires.

“I don’t intend on getting another applicant for this position full time,” Sukeforth said. “The feedback I get is that the job doesn’t pay anywhere near enough for the stress of a job like Lakeville.”

Candito added that the town cannot offer a higher salary and suggested hiring a seasoned planner for 15 to 24 hours per week on an as-needed basis.

She said part-time may be the only viable option under current conditions.

The board voted to post the part-time position in addition to the full-time listing, which will remain open.