AUGUSTA — Thomas DuBois was appointed Franklin County’s representative to the the Maine Land Use Planning Commission on Wednesday, more than a month after his nomination was rejected.
Thomas DuBois of Salem Township was appointed by a state legislative committee Wednesday to the Maine Land Use Planning Commission. Submitted photo
The standing committee of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry voted 12-0 to appoint the Salem Township resident after a public hearing livestreamed on Zoom.
“I look forward to serving,” DuBois said by text after the hearing. “(I am) happy with the outcome.”
Commissioners nominated DuBois in August 2023.
The committee rejected his nomination by a 7-5 vote Jan. 8 and Franklin County commissioners renominated him later that month.
On Wednesday, Commissioner Bob Carlton told the committee that commissioners received applications from three people and chose DuBois, an engineer for 35 years, to represent the county.
The Maine Land Use Planning Commission serves as the planning and zoning authority for the unorganized and deorganized areas of the state, including townships and plantations.
Along with carrying out its planning and zoning responsibilities, the commission issues permits for smaller development projects, such as home constructions and camp renovations. For larger development projects requiring Department of Environmental Protection review under the Site Location of Development Law, the commission certifies that proposed land uses are allowed and that proposed development activities comply with applicable commission land use standards.
Commissioners decided at their Feb. 6 meeting to send a letter to the committee requesting it not take any action on land use applications until Franklin County is represented.
Carlton told the committee Franklin County has more applications and permits for the unorganized territory than any other county.
Addressing the committee Wednesday, DuBois said he lived in Livermore Falls for 19 years before he and his family moved to Salem Township. He moved to the unorganized territory to be closer to the Western Mountains Baptist Church in New Portland where he has been pastor for 17 years.
He saw opportunity and the difference between living in an organized municipality and an unorganized territory, he said.
He has worked as an engineer all over the state with most of the permits granted under the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission before the name was changed when Gov. Paul LePage was in office.
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