Lack of quorum sidetracked the meeting before discussions began.
By Samantha C. DePoy
Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – A lack of quorum coupled with an abundance of perceived conflicts of interest prevented the Planning Board from dealing with two hot-button issues Monday night.

Two of the seven regular board members, Thomas Eastler and Bill Marceau, were absent, as were both alternates, Clayton King and Tim Wallace.

U.S. Cellular was proposing to install a 190-foot-tall, lattice-style self-supporting tower and 12-foot by 20-foot one-story utility building at 376 Titcomb Hill Road on property owned by Raymond Titcomb and Deborah Mallett.

Board member Donna Tracy, an abutter of the project, excused herself from acting on the measure, as did chairman Herbert York, due to a member of his family owning land on Voter Hill that’s leased by U.S. Cellular for another tower.

Board member Craig Jordan also stepped aside, saying much of his income comes from a near abutter of the proposed tower who is adamantly against the project.

That left two board members, vice chairman David Averill and Lloyd Smith at the table and able to vote. Board action requires four votes.

U.S. Cellular attorney Richard Trafton of Auburn agreed with Avrill and Smith that the application should be tabled until the February meeting.

Tower construction is not slated to begin until next fall.

“It’s a bad night,” Jordan joked.

The board was also forced to table an application from Mark and Heidi Goodwin to renovate a barn at 247 High St. into two two-bedroom apartments.

The project was approved in 2003 by the board, but concerned neighbors worried about increased traffic among other things hired a lawyer and appealed approval of the application, which was remanded back to the board for further inspection.

A contingent of neighbors attended the meeting Monday night to speak against the application, but again lack of quorum sidetracked the issue before discussion began.

York and Jordan abstained on the matter, saying they had not been present at previous meetings where the issue was discussed and felt they needed to abstain because they were not familiar enough with the project.

That issue was also tabled until February. Board members not familiar with the issues assured those at the meeting they would get themselves up to speed by then.

Still, the board was able to get some work done.

It unanimously approved an application from Bonnie Chapman to renovate an attached barn into a two-bedroom apartment at 117 Wilton Road, and for Naomi Henry to combine two of her lots in Voter Hill Estates into one.

An application from Mark Kemp to partner with Karkos Heating and Plumbing to install a showroom for wholesale and some retail plumbing and heating supplies at 180 Front St. was approved after Kemp stressed he would put up signs to let customers know to park down across the street in the lot adjacent to the Better Living Center and a laundry.

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

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