By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Residents created a bit of a stir when they heard the Naples selectmen were considering filling the town’s open planning board seat without advertising it.

However, prior to last week, there had been little interest in the position for the past three election years, according to Chairman Jim Grattelo. 

After the recent election this spring, two people were seated on the Planning Board: Robert Fogg and Martina Witts. Their terms expire in 2024. 

Still, there is now a need for another alternate to replace Robert “Bob” Nyberg who resigned.

The Naples Board of Selectmen had listed on the July 19 agenda that former selectman Jim Turpin would be appointed to the alternate seat.

On the night of July 19, Grattelo said that had changed.

“Mr. Turpin has withdrawn his name for the planning board alternate, and the reason was that Larry Anton was willing to come back,” Grattelo said. 

During the spring 2020 elections, Anton did not run for a seat. 

“Larry [Anton] said his wife was ill and he was going to take care of her. But, she has since gotten a lot better,” Grattelo said. “Jim [Turpin] put his name forward because nobody else ran.”

Grattelo said there were no other candidates except for the two people who had been seated. Therefore, there wasn’t a list of people to contact regarding the open alternate seat. Nyberg had landed his seat on the planning board as a write-in candidate, Gratello said. 

Selectman Ted Shane advocated for making the alternate seat public before choosing a person.  

“I wasn’t aware we had gotten out of the practice of advertising for this,” Shane said.

“Since I heard Jim Turpin was interested, I had three people express interest in the position. I think we should advertise for this until our second meeting in August. Those people who said they were interested, they could step up to the plate,” Shane said. 

Grattelo explained, “The reason that the town hasn’t been spending money to do that [advertise] is we have little to no responses.”

Shane said, “My motion is to give it a try.”

Naples Town Manager John Hawley said it wasn’t necessary to make a motion or vote on it. He would place an advertisement in the newspapers and also post that information on the town’s website and Facebook page. 

If anyone is interested in serving as an alternate for the Naples Planning Board, contact the Naples town office, 693-6364. The board meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. The alternate can sit in on all meetings, and is asked to vote when there is an even number of planning board members present.