Bob Panico tabbed to fill vacant Planning Board seat

In a series of two votes on Tuesday night, the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board appointed Robert Panico to fill the vacant seat on the Planning Board until the next town election in April 2017.

Panico was one of eight candidates who applied for the post, which was last held by Tori McClain, who resigned in April with two years remaining on her term. Both boards said it was a difficult decision as there were a number of qualified candidates. The Planning Board had gone into the meeting split on the decision with two preferring Panico and two supporting Chris Podgurski with their third option being Donald Hadge.

Planning Board Chairman Jeremy Comeau offered the candidacy of Panico while fellow board member George Jenkins offered the candidacy of Podgurski. Selectmen voted 3-2 in favor of Panico, but both boards voted unanimously in the end to support Panico.

Panico and his wife, Dina, have lived in Canton since 1996. He has been involved in various committees and organizations, including the Capital Planning, Economic Development, and Canton Community Preservation committees. Both boards urged the other seven candidates to serve on other town boards with vacancies.

Also on Tuesday night, selectmen held their annual reorganization of the board and elected Bob Burr as their new chairman. Mark Porter was named vice chairman and Kevin Feeney was appointed as clerk. Selectmen praised the work of outgoing Chairman John Connolly, who led the board this past year and helped to transition two new selectmen (Porter and Feeney).

In other news, Selectman Victor Del Vecchio made two motions, both of which the board accepted, asking the DPW to move two large boulders at the town-owned Earl Newhouse Waterfront at Reservoir Pond to allow for handicapped parking and for motorists to drop off canoes and non-motorized boats. The move also requires the approval of the Conservation Commission. Burr and Del Vecchio said this will hopefully be accomplished in June to improve boater access to the reservoir. The Newhouse waterfront area is too shallow to launch motorized boats. Selectmen also plan to send a formal written request to the Mass. Hospital School board of directors to see if they are interested in allowing motorized boat access on MHS property …

See this week’s Canton Citizen to read more highlights from the May 24 selectmen’s meeting. Subscribe by May 31 and receive 3 months free!

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Posted by Mike Berger on May 26 2016. Filed under Uncategorized. Both comments and pings are currently closed.