Faced with significant public pushback on proposed appointees to the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC), the Board of Selectmen voted Nov. 26 to table the appointments to its Tuesday, Dec. 10 meeting. More than 20 residents attended the November meeting, questioning why a long-serving PZC member was being removed and a former town employee added in.

The Nov. 26 agenda included several appointments to different boards and commissions, included the PZC. It was only the PZC appointments that caused an uproar from the audience, due to the fact that long time commission member Jane Samuels was not on the list.

“I don’t see Jane Samuels’s name on the list. Why?” asked resident Sue Huybensz.

It became clear that the absence of Samuels’s name was not due to her being unwilling to serve.

“I would like to propose that my name be added to the appointees for the commission,” said Samuels, a Republican. “I have served on the commission for several years, first as an alternate then as regular member. I worked on the Plan of Conservation and Development, I have rarely missed meetings and I have always worked to do what is best for the town of Deep River.

“Volunteerism is part of my family,” she continued. “I got involved on the commission because there was a vacancy and my mother, who volunteered on several boards in town, told me it was my turn.”

She added, “I have no personal agenda and I have always worked hard for Deep River.”

Selectman Duane Gates (D), who chaired the meeting as First Selectman Angus McDonald (D) was on vacation, explained the board’s position.

“On behalf of myself, I want to thank you for your years of service. There was a discussion amongst the three selectman and it was decided that we were going to go in another direction” with the PZC, Gates said.

The names on the agenda for a PZC appointment were current member David Basilone and current alternate Daphne Stroud as full members and former Deep River zoning enforcement officer (ZEO) Cathie Jefferson as an alternate.

Some audience members opposed appointing Jefferson to the commission, while others praised the choice for the knowledge she would bring. When she served as ZEO, some residents believed her decisions regarding developments owned by McDonald were lenient.

The decision was made to table the P&Z Commission appointees until the next scheduled meeting when McDonald will be in attendance and legal counsel can also be in attendance, if needed, to answer pertinent lingering questions from the audience of citizens.

“The three of us [all members of the Board of Selectman] should be here taking these questions. I can’t answer all these questions,” Gates said.

“It’s better to do this the right way, with all our T’s crossed and I’s dotted,” said Selectman Jim Olson (R).

The next scheduled Board of Selectman meeting is on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Deep River Town Hall.