Vitale Appointed to Open Seat on Planning Board

Mayor Mary-Anna Holden has appointed former Councilwoman and Planning Board Member Carmela Vitale to take the seat recently vacated when Class IV member Greg Reed stepped down.

Vitale, who has served two full terms on the Borough Council and served under special circumstances as recently as this past October, was part of the Planning Board the last time a thorough update of the master plan was produced in 1992.

Holden said Vitale was part of the group which evaluated Green Village Road School, which makes her a good fit at this time.

"The main objective then was to amend and look at the property from a high altitude for general parameters to guide us," Holden said. "Now the point is to rezone this area in anticipation of the Board of Education putting out a bid to sell. So it's the perfect time, and I know she's excited to serve."

Holden cited other traits Vitale will bring to the post.

"She was always very fair," Holden said." She is a lifetime Madisonian. She's got a good grasp on issues. She is a realtor, an expertise we don't have on the Planning Board right now when looking at these applications. I will also miss Greg Reed, who had his certificate on historic preservation, as well."

Reed's last meeting was on Feb. 23. He stepped down to move closer to his job in New York City as Vice President/Senior Analyst in the commercial real estate finance department for Moody's Investors Service.

For the past few months leading to his resignation, he had been commuting while helping the board in dealing with several high-profile developments, including Greenwood Property Group's application for the property at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Main Street.

Planning Board Member and former Chair Judy Mullins said Reed also served on the Downtown Development Commission and was involved in that group's parking study of downtown before he joined the Planning Board in 2006. She says Reed will be missed.