Planning Board approves May minutes, adjourns
Planning Board · Meeting of September 22, 2026
West Newbury Planning Board warns funding for its interim town planner could run short before more money is found. Chair Rob Phillips said the board is "about halfway through" funds assembled to pay Interim Town Planner Denise McClure, work that lacks a dedicated budget line, and said the town manager and accounting staff are searching for additional money. Staff separately warned of a scam using a forged invoice bearing the town seal and McClure's name to request a wire transfer "in the tens of thousands of dollars," which the applicant did not pay.
Land and Building Services Administrator Jennifer Geary said "there's no other way for us to accept credit card payments and certainly not wire transfers." A comprehensive plan effort with the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission remains paused until a permanent town manager is hired, with McClure noting an extra $45,000 in planning costs could strengthen a future state grant application. The board voted 4-0 to approve its May 5 minutes and later voted 4-0 to adjourn.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 2,821 words
Source: the Planning Board meeting of September 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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