The Temple Select Board voted to make Zoning Board of Adjustment alternate members Deb Harling and Allan Pickman full members of the board Tuesday night.
After three members of the ZBA and two alternates resigned two weeks ago, the town sent out a plea for residents to get involved and send letters of interest to the Board. So far, according to Select Board Chair and ZBA member Bill Ezell, only one letter has been received, and the writer of the letter did not show to the meeting Tuesday.
“Nobody’s really been biting,” Ezell said.
Pickman and Harling now join Ezell and Emily Sliviak as full members of the ZBA, leaving one spot open. All alternate spots are also open and likely need to be filled soon, as Ezell noted that he will have to recuse himself from the ongoing Stepping Stones special exception case.
“Hopefully more people will show up,” Ezell said.
The Select Board also voted to accept federal money from the American Rescue Plan, but is as yet unsure how the money will be spent. Due to the application process, Ezell said, the Board has to accept the money before they can receive it or be sure how much funding will be provided.
Additionally, the rules of how the money can be spent are still being decided.
“So far it’s pretty broad, just about anything you can think of,” Ezell said.
Select Board member Ken Caisse suggested the money could be spent to compensate town employees for not taking time off during the COVID-19 pandemic and to increase Fire Department stipends, ideas that he said can be revisited when the Select Board has more information about the fund.