The Select and Planning boards interview six candidates for an empty seat on the latter board.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen
LONGMEADOW — Six people sat before a joint meeting of Longmeadow’s Select Board and Planning Board.
The individuals had all applied to fill the seat on the Planning Board left open after former board member Walter Gunn resigned in June amid scandal.
Planning Board Chair Cheryl Thibodeau gave each candidate an opportunity to answer a series of questions in a panel-style interview for the seat.
Thibodeau began by explaining that planning boards in Massachusetts must work within the confines of local zoning bylaws and Chapters 40A and 40R of the state’s general laws. She asked the applicants if they were comfortable familiarizing themselves with the laws. Real estate agent Nick Gelfand, engineer Curt Freedman and Antonietta Mongillo, who works for Bridge33 Capital, a commercial real estate investment firm, each said they deal with those laws as part of their professions. Michael Tobin, who works for aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, and engineer Andrew Scott each said they were willing to learn the legal restrictions around zoning. Architect Timothy McKenna said that he, too, was comfortable staying up to date on laws.
The applicants were asked about the largest land use challenges facing the town. “We’re essentially out of land,” said Scott. He said the town needs to look at land use through the lens of technological development. He said, “Today, we’re talking about fiber” and whether it should run underground or be strung along poles. “But what’s next?” he asked, saying the town needs to be willing to evolve.
While not mentioning any one issue specifically, Freedman spoke about “mutual respect” and “maintaining the values” that “we are so proud of.”
Tobin said Longmeadow’s people are the town’s biggest challenge. “A lot of people are entrenched in keeping things the same,” he said. “In order for the town to get better, some things have to change.”
Similarly, McKenna said, “People have very, very specific feelings” about how property should be developed. He acknowledged, “It’s their property, their community,” but also said the town should have “lively debate” and it is a “unique and important time in our community.”
Mongillo and Gelfand each cited the redevelopment of the Glenbrook Middle School site, should a ballot question approving a debt exclusion pass at the Sept. 30 election. Gelfand added that the use of Longmeadow’s largely vacant Community House, Old Town Hall and Town Hall are also issues that need to be addressed.
Freedman and Mongillo agreed that determining the future of the Glenbrook site should involve robust public input. McKenna was in favor of hiring a professional planning firm to review the site. He said he was interested in a use that would make the town “demographically sustainable.” People do not move to a town for the housing stock, but for quality of life, he said.
Gelfand said the site poses challenges because it is in a residential zone. He said that he would like to see the property added to the tax rolls, perhaps as senior housing. Scott agreed. While he acknowledged how “desperately” Longmeadow needs commercial property taxes, he said the Glenbrook site should be housing and suggested a developer could create a neighborhood subdevelopment.
Tobin said he would like to see the property developed into a park or athletic field. If it were to become housing, he said the town could benefit from “low space impact,” higher density residences, rather than more single-family houses.
Select Board member Shelly Maynard-DeWolf asked about making the Planning Board’s role and interactions with the public more equitable and inclusive. Freedman said the board should find a way to educate people about its processes. Scott said social media can make the board’s workings more transparent. Mongillo agreed, “Young people aren’t reading the minutes on the website.” McKenna suggested the board produce a podcast.
Tobin suggested “meeting people where they’re at” by summarizing key takeaways and decisions. He also suggested making the board members themselves more accessible to members of the public who have questions. Gelfand said he is sensitive to “things people say about Longmeadow,” but the divisions within the towns are not as wide as some think. He said having a member, such as himself, living in the Wolf Swamp Road neighborhood would benefit the board.
Select Board member Vineeth Hemavathi asked how the applicants felt about friends and neighbors being upset with board decisions. Scott and Tobin both said they have experience handling upset people as part of their jobs. Scott said, “You have to have a thick skin.”
Mongillo said maintaining neutrality is important, while Gelfand emphasized, “People just want to be heard and respected.” Similarly, Tobin said listening to people to get at the heart of their concerns is key. For McKenna, “a difference of opinion” makes the process “fascinating.”
Freedman felt that the “paramount” goals were the health and safety for all parties. He would make sure to “substantiate” all his decisions with information, he said.
The applicants were given an opportunity to declare any conflicts of interest. Each of them indicated they would be interested in running for a full term in June 2026; however, Tobin and Scott said it would depend on how they performed during the remainder of this term. Considering that the Select Board recently considered proposing an appointed Planning Board, Select Board Chair Josh Levine asked the applicants if they would have sought the position if they had to be elected.
“Either way, I knew I was all in,” Scott said of seeking the position. Freedman and Tobin also said they would have run for the seat. Mongillo, who has lived in town for five years, said an election would have been more difficult because few people know her. Gelfand, on the other hand, was confident that an election would have benefited him precisely because he is well known. McKenna said his initial interest was less about the appointment process and more about it being an abbreviated term with a “lower barrier to entry.”
While an exact date has not been set, the Select and Planning boards plan to make an appointment in three weeks.
