The meeting, held both in-person and virtually, swiftly moved into substantial discussions, with the centerpiece being the approval of the resolution for HBC Liberty Village Urban Manu LLC. This resolution, which had undergone extensive reviews and revisions, was finally ratified by the board. The changes were primarily typographical, with corrections made on several pages. The board also adjusted the resolution’s adoption date to reflect the current meeting. This approval was critical as it set the stage for the notice of decision to be published, with the publication planned for The Courier News. The board acknowledged the discontinuation of print by the 100 Democrat and confirmed a 45-day appeal period from the publication date. During this period, the developer could face potential challenges to the development, a risk that was noted in the meeting.

Simultaneously, Mayor Karrow announced the resignation of Bryan Cimino, who stepped down to focus on professional duties. The mayor expressed understanding of Cimino’s decision, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing work. This resignation led to a series of appointments to fill the resulting vacancies. Justin Schlanger was elevated to a full voting member to complete Cimino’s unexpired term. Additional appointments included Don Eckel as alternate number two. There was also mention of future appointments, with a fourth alternate member position expected to be filled soon.

Another topic was the discussion regarding the completeness of an application for a duplex on an undersized lot. The applicant had submitted a request for a variance, which was initially marked as incomplete in a January 30 report. However, a revised submission on February 7 addressed numerous comments from the earlier report. Despite a few lingering issues, such as a document lacking a revision date, the board deemed these minor. A particular focus was given to a water and sewer application submitted on an outdated form, which did not pose a strict requirement. There was a consensus that a waiver concerning item 11d, related to a triangle easement, was minor and would be covered in a report during the hearing. The board moved to vote on deeming the application complete, which passed unanimously.

Following this, the board faced scheduling challenges for a hearing date on the duplex application, due to a conflict with a special election. March 25 was identified as the earliest feasible date, contingent upon attorney availability. The board agreed to proceed with this date, with the understanding that if an attorney was not secured, the matter could be continued without additional notice.

In other developments, the board discussed the annual report for 2020. However, it became evident that not all members had reviewed the report, necessitating a postponement of the resolution to the next meeting. There was a commitment to ensure that all members received the report for review. The board also addressed the auditing of bills, which had been distributed earlier, and a motion to audit was approved.

Before adjourning, there was a noteworthy moment of recognition for a board member named Karen, highlighting the camaraderie and mutual respect among the members. With no further items left for discussion, the meeting concluded with expressions of appreciation among the participants.