The Harvard Select Board appointed five new committee members on Tuesday to fill vacancies on the Planning Board, Board of Health, Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee, and the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The Select Board is required to appoint citizens to certain town committees and commissions when vacancies occur or terms expire. The Select Board has no say, however, in elected positions like town moderator or School Committee members.
Appointees were required to fill out a volunteer application and send a resume to the Select Board to be considered.
To fill the two spots on the Planning Board, the Select Board appointed Lorelei McClure and Irene Battaglia. According to McClure’s resume, she has worked in administrative positions in school and office settings. Battaglia previously served on the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment in her former town of residence, Rocky Hill, New Jersey.
The Planning Board reviews and approves the division of land, grants special permits, and guides the process of amendments to the zoning bylaws, according to the Harvard town website.
Brad Holub was appointed to the Board of Health. Holub works professionally as a nonclinical scientist at the biotechnology firm Alchemab Therapeutics, where he has “always had an eye on public health,” according to his application. The Board of Health works on the local level to protect public health, control the spread of disease, promote sanitary living conditions, and protect the environment from pollution.
The Select Board appointed Alex Latham to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Latham said on his application that his work as an electrical engineer will help him with the “[Zoning Board of Appeals’] job of making sure proposals live within the bylaws.”
According to the Harvard town website, the Zoning Board of Appeals receives special permit requests from applicants who want to develop their land for commercial or residential purposes and need zoning variances to do so. Among other things, the board also reviews comprehensive permit requests for developers looking to build affordable housing.
Jo-Anne Crystoff was appointed to the Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee, which oversees the management of Bare Hill Pond. Crystoff previously served on the Harvard Open Space and Recreation Committee from June 2021 to June 2023. She also has a master’s degree in environmental science and policy.
