ex officio members

This month’s Q&A represents a departure from our usual single topic format. The staff attorneys of LGC’s Legal Services and Government Affairs Department answer thousands of questions each year posed by local officials from towns and cities both large and small. Following are some of those questions on various topics that we hope you will find useful to your work as a local official.

Alternate members are the unsung heroes of local land use boards. Both planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment (ZBAs) may be authorized to appoint standing “pools" of up to five alternate members for each board. RSA 673:6. Alternates are vital to the proper functioning of these boards because conflicts of interest often disqualify one or more members from participating in an application or appeal.

After election ballots have been counted and the town meeting “dust" has settled, the various municipal boards, commissions and committees should reorganize and prepare for another year of activity. New members should be sworn in, a chairperson should be selected and any vacancies should be filled.