Interviews to Fill Vacancies on Planning Board Set for Tuesday, June 25

The Community Resources Committee (CRC) of the Town Council will interview three candidates for the two upcoming vacancies on the Planning Board on Tuesday, June 25 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The interviews will be conducted over Zoom and can be viewed here. Three people have applied for the open positions: current Planning Board Chair Doug Marshall, Melissa Ferris, and Lawrence Kluttz. All three applicants live near the town center, as do continuing Planning Board members Karin Winter, Fred Hartwell, and Jesse Mager. Johanna Neumann and Bruce Coldham are also continuing their service on the board.

The three-year terms of Doug Marshall and Janet McGowan expire on June 30. Marshall has served on the board for four years. He is applying for another three-year term. It is expected that the CRC will select the two members to recommend to the Town Council for appointment in a deliberation period after the interviews.

For a description of the work of the Planning Board see here. Selection guidance for the CRC provided by Marshall states: “The ideal candidates would balance the expertise of continuing Board members so that all areas of relevant experience are represented. The Board members whose terms are expiring are an architect/planner and an attorney. The continuing Board members consist of a sustainability advocate and fundraiser, a retired architect, and three interested citizens without relevant professional experience, but two of whom have experience as landlords. Given the makeup of the continuing Board members, I would recommend prioritizing candidates with expertise in areas potentially lost with departing/expiring members (architecture, planning, and real estate law), or areas otherwise not well represented. Underrepresented areas of particular benefit would be civil engineering, including its subsidiary areas of traffic and stormwater engineering, and landscape architecture. A member with real estate development expertise, though less pressing, would also be beneficial.”

Kluttz moved to Amherst a year ago. He has over 15 years of experience in strategic planning in higher education, and has spearheaded efforts to foster collaboration between various stakeholders. He states in his application, “By facilitating inclusive processes that encourage participation and input from residents, businesses, and other stakeholders, we can ensure that the decisions we make reflect our town’s collective vision and aspirations.”  He adds that he is committed to efforts that will enhance the quality of life for all current and future Amherst residents “whether it involves advocating for sustainable development practices, promoting affordable housing options, or supporting initiatives that promote cultural diversity and inclusion.”

Ferris is the former creative director of both National Geographic and Barnes & Noble’s publishing houses. She grew up in Leeds, but lived for the last 35 years in Washington, D.C. and then Brooklyn. Her work gave her experience working with and leading large, diverse teams. She is familiar with reading architectural drawings from doing the pre-installation renderings for her husband, sculptor Graham Caldwell’s, work. She states, “My interest in serving on the Planning Board comes from attending several meetings about a development that was proposed for a lot that adjoins ours. In these meetings, I learned about the housing crisis affecting Amherst; how affordability and availability are impacting residents and students alike.” She said she sees that much of the new housing stock is clearly aimed only at students, and “as a homeowner and a resident, I’m concerned about the demographic cliff that experts predict will lower enrollment at local colleges. I’d like to help figure out realistic ways to provide housing for Amherst that fulfill the needs of its residents—current and future—while still preserving the appeal of the town that drew me back to it after so many years living in major cities.”

Marshall has chaired the Planning Board for the past two years. He is an architect and has been a campus planner for UMass for the past 14 years. In his statement, he says, “Since my last appointment, I have gained additional experience with the Board, wider Town affairs, and the Town’s zoning bylaws. As the Board’s chair for the last two years, I have sought to conduct meetings efficiently and to treat Town staff, members of the Board, and the public with courtesy and respect.”