The State of the Planning Board

In his latest post on Instagram, mayoral candidate Peter Spear talks about the Planning Board, the changes he would make to how Planning Board members are selected and trained, and his recommendation that the Planning Board retain a professional urban planner along with its attorney and engineer. Spear's post can be accessed here.

Photo: 542films

Spear starts out by saying there is a vacancy on the Planning Board. Actually. there isn't. The Planning Board now has its full complement of seven members, although at the public hearing on May 6 and at the most recent Planning Board meeting on May 13, only four of the seven members showed up.  

The Planning Board may soon have an vacancy, however. Ashraf Chowdhury, who was appointed to the Planning Board in February, has never attended a meeting. It seems soon after he was appointed, sworn in, and assigned a City of Hudson email address, his work schedule shifted to nights, making it impossible for him to attend meetings. Allegedly, Mayor Kamal Johnson is waiting for Chowdhury to submit a letter of resignation before he can appoint someone to replace him. For anyone interested in serving on the Planning Board, it would probably not be inappropriate for you to express your interest to the mayor now.

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