New Business Committee Discussed for Borough

Business owners and operators in the borough may soon have added input into the decisions of the Planning Board.

Mayor Nelson Vaughan proposed forming a business committee in the Sept. 1 meeting of the Planning Board, citing the need for more involvement and outreach to local businesses.

Planning Board Chairperson Richard E. Crater said he knew that many people in the business community in Chatham were "frustrated" by their lack of involvement in decisions that affected them, and by the "inability of local boards to reach out to them."

Board member Bruce Harris suggested bringing a professional planner onto the board. In the past, planning board members have made the decisions that they thought was best without much professional consultation, resulting in a city plan that "reflects the interests and preferences of whose who were on the Planning Board at the time," Harris said.

Board members agreed to discuss the possibility of forming such a committee at the next meeting on Sept. 15.