Planning Board Members Who Can't Plan

The December 4th Planning Board Meeting was an embarrassment to everyone in the Town of Wappinger - a full agenda, with important votes to be taken, discussions to be had, extensions requested -- and only three members of the Planning Board in attendance - one strolling in at 6:59 pm.

The meeting had to be adjourned because the requirement for a quorum of participants was not met.

Please remember that the Planning Board Meetings are scheduled a year in advance, the members receive agendas the week before the meeting - of which we presume that the members actually read the agenda and the supporting material, the meeting schedule is posted on the Town Website, the supporting material is posted on the Town Website. Developers, attorneys, engineers, planners, neighbors, the applicants -- all organize their schedules around the Planning Board Meeting dates.

The Town paid for the professionals and staff to be at the meeting.

Residents showed up at the meeting.

Some of the participants traveled more than an hour to be at the meeting - during the darkest month of the year.

Yes, this is a volunteer position, but that does not in anyway take away from the seriousness of the position and the importance to arrive at meetings on time, prepared and ready to focus on the projects/questions brought before it. Yes, things happen -- but 99% of "things" can be anticipated and communicated appropriately.

And we have Planning Board Members who can't remember/bother to show up.

Please note - that if they had notified the administrators earlier in the day -- the meeting could have been cancelled/rescheduled -- but apparently this required too much planning ahead or demonstration of professional responsibility. This behavior is disrespectful to their fellow board members, the planning board chairman, the individuals & their representatives working on projects in the town, the staff members and professionals supporting the planning board -- and most of all the residents that they are representing in making important planning decisions.

This very much calls into question the credibility and quality of their decisions. If they can't make it to a meeting - it challenges the expectation of thoughtful, professional analysis and thorough preparation when they make decisions concerning the future of the town and the quality of life for all of the residents.

Let's hope that future members of the Planning Board take their responsibilities more seriously. The residents and those wishing to invest in the town deserve better.