Leslie Smith: Not a good idea to start electing members of our zoning board

To The Daily Sun,

I’m writing to encourage Gilmanton voters to vote against Article 50 at the voting session on Tuesday, March 10.

Article 50 asks us if we’re in favor of electing people to the Zoning Board, rather than appointing them. I imagine that it sounds pretty good to elect our town’s representatives to sit on various local boards, but please read on.

I’m a new member of the ZBA; I’m not a voting member. I’m just an alternate who can only vote in case of an absence of a board member. Most of the time, I just sit and listen to everyone. As such, I’ve observed the various members of the ZBA when they hash out the dos and don’ts of various zoning appeals. There truly is a lot to know and right now I would hate to see our members getting replaced by those folks who are elected to the positions on the ZBA. It takes time and studying to learn our state and local zoning laws. They’re detailed and complicated.

Finally, I think it would be a tremendous loss to the town were Betty Hackett to be replaced by an elected individual. Betty has served on this board for 25 years. She knows the laws and all pertinent aspects to the laws. She’s a trained engineer with four college degrees. She’s also trained as a paralegal, and is a justice of the peace. Most importantly though, I think she listens very well and works hard to be fair to the folks who appeal a zoning rule.

I realize that there are some very talented people who might be elected to the board. However, with the many intricacies of our laws, and with the growing concerns related to our land and water, I feel strongly that right now is not the time to replace our appointed members of the ZBA.

Leslie Smith

Gilmanton Iron Works