New Members Bring New Perspectives to Planning Board

When the Howell Planning Board held its first meeting on Thursday there were some new faces on the dais as the board gets ready for another year.

Daniel Cardellichio was appointed to a full four year term on the board while former alternate member Patrice Hayslett was appointed to a full term as well at the recent township reorganization meeting.

Another change this year is the addition of Mayor Bill Gotto who became the first sitting mayor in several years to take his seat at the dais, joining Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro.

With a lot of experience remaining on the board Chairman Paul Boisvert said he felt confident with the members he will be working with. "I like the makeup of the board, I like the experience and I like the new people." 

This will be his second year at the helm and Boisvert said he learned a lot last year. "I definitely learned a few tricks from a couple people up there," he said. 

Deputy Mayor Nicastro said the board members have confidence in Boisvert's leadership. "He demonstrated he's capable of being a good chairman," he said.

Mayor Gotto said he decided when he was elected to his new post that he wanted to take a hands on approach to the planning board as well. "I think it's necessary if we're going to practice what we preach and really steer the mission of what we think the vision of the town is," he said. 

Boisvert also agreed that having two of the five members of the council on the board will be helpful as the year gets underway. "It's nice to have that perspective of two-fifths of the governing body," he said. "They have a vision for the township and having two-fifths of them there we get to take that perspective with us and apply it to the law."

The mayor said that while they serve on both boards they know their vote does not carry more weight than any of the other members. "If someone was to ask us is this what you envision and is this what Howell needs I'll give you that opinion but the applications stand on their own merits anyway."

Planning Board meetings are held the first and third Thursday of every month in the main meeting room in the new Municipal Building.