Article 15 was the last one discussed during the weekend session and sought to create a new Economic Advisory Committee.  The group would take the place of the Community Development Committee, which will ending with the release of a report featuring suggestions on economic development and affordable housing for Duxbury.

The new committee would then work on making those suggestions a reality and fostering more economic growth by working with local businesses while Article 30 seeks to create a Local Housing Partnership to focus on housing endeavors.

Members of the committee would come from one representative each from the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals as well as three members each from the business community and other citizens.{sidebar id=4}

Finance Committee member Peter Rouleau told the audience that his committee had decided not to support the article because they felt community volunteers are already spread thin on their time and finding volunteers for the committee would deplete the talent pool in town.  The committee instead recommended citizens wait until their own initiative under Article 20, the creation of a town government study committee, could determine if this is the best way to allocate the town’s resources.

Selectman Andre Martecchini, a member of the CDC, said he did not see a problem staffing the committee with people in town and felt that this was an important issue for the town to address, especially with the current committee coming to an end.

He pointed to the vacant Grand Union market and the impact not only on shoppers but other businesses as an ideal issue this committee would look at as well as zoning issues that affect local businesses.

“We sometimes make it more difficult for our local businesses to operate and town and can look at that,” said Martecchini.

Other opponents of the plan included Surplus Street resident Jeanne Clark, who echoed words said by former selectman John Leonard regarding the town’s myriad of committees.

“He said ëthere is no place in the world with more committees than the town of Duxbury than perhaps the U.S. Congress,’” said Clark, who also expressed her own concerns about the empty Grand Union building.

Will Zachmann of the Duxbury Business Association felt that rather than create a new committee, selectmen and others could work with his group on these issues.

Planning Director Christine Stickney said that there is currently a member of the association on the CDC and that what the group heard from that person was the need for more communication opened up with other town boards.

Martecchini said that the business association “can always come to the selectmen and address us but that hasn’t happened and hasn’t been happening,” adding that those commercial entities being affected by zoning bylaws would also have a structure to work together with members of the town’s land boards.

When time for a vote came, the yeas and nays were too close to call, so Town Moderator Allen Bornheimer called for a count.  Ninety-one citizens voted in the affirmative with 57 voting against, passing Article 15.