January 28, 2026, Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

02/26/2026 05:17:42 PM Page 69 to 72 of 155 18 of 66 sheets 69 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.1 Sir, you have already spoken. You know the2 rules we set. At the end if there's time you can come3 back.4 THE PUBLIC: I haven't spoken yet.5 MS. McGOVERN: He did spoke. At public6 comment.7 THE PUBLIC: The last meeting?8 MS. McGOVERN: Yeah, that was public9 comment.10 THE PUBLIC: I thought we are having a new11 meeting. Okay. That's fine.12 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: You can come back at the13 end, if there's time. Thank you.14 Go right ahead, sir. Say your name for the15 record.16 THE PUBLIC: I'm Paul Tractenberg. I live17 at 96 Sullivan Drive.18 I've been involved --19 MS. McGOVERN: You're testifying tonight,20 right?21 THE PUBLIC: I am.22 MS. McGOVERN: Okay.23 Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the24 whole truth and nothing but the truth.25 70 THE PUBLIC: I do.1 I've been at the center of this fight for 272 years. If you allotted me one minute for every three3 years, I would have plenty of time for my prepared4 remarks. You aren't and so I won't. So I'm just going5 to talk from the heart. I'm going to react to what I6 have heard tonight and what I have observed here7 tonight.8 First, I can't be alone in being incredibly9 impressed by the quality of the testimony you have10 heard. The sincerity, power of the testimony. That11 ought to communicate a message to you.12 I've been at virtually all the hearings,13 I've heard people raise questions, witnesses and now14 present testimony. I am yet to hear the first person15 speak in favor of this proposal. Now, that's got to16 tell you something. Your community is speaking loud and17 clear to you. They only hope you hear and act on what18 they are saying and so do I.19 One of the issues I have raised with the20 board, all though maybe irregularly, are some of the21 procedural issues. And I just, I'm compelled to say one22 tonight, which is the way public testimony is presented.23 Making people line up for hours when you could have24 taken names and called on them each individually. I can25 71 tell you at age 87 it's not as easy for me to stand for1 two hours in line as maybe it once was. There's got to2 be a more humane, more efficient and effective way to3 hear from the public.4 There are many who said this in various5 ways. I want to pick up on as one of the handful of6 points I'm going to make tonight. This is not

more efficient and effective way to3 hear from the public.4 There are many who said this in various5 ways. I want to pick up on as one of the handful of6 points I'm going to make tonight. This is not an7 application ready for prime time. It is filled with8 crucial gaps, you can count the ways. Sewage, how is9 sewage going to be handled. Potable water, adequate10 water pressure to fight fires. Utilities of all kind,11 an environmental impact statement. None of them are12 before you. Everything is sought to be deferred to13 conditions of approval after your approval.14 For direct evidence of the problems and the15 unresponsiveness of the applicant to those problems, I16 advise you to look back to two reports, 16 pages each,17 submitted by your own engineering consultants, CME and18 John Hess, June and July of 2024, in which he lined out19 with great particularity all of the things the applicant20 had to do. The applicants two page response was mostly,21 oh, we'll cover that in testimony. Or, we'll deal with22 it as conditions of approval after approval. In my head23 that's not the way to deal with crucial elements of this24 proposal. Elements that really jeopardize the safety25 72 not only the people who live on this property, if it's1 developed, but all the people who live downstream and2 nearby.3 I think you have to wonder why this4 application, and only this application, has been treated5 so differently than every other application before this6 board. There has not, and I pointed this out in great7 detail, there has not been a single set of minutes for8 any of the 27 meetings. The answer, oh, we got9 transcripts. For any of you who tried to look at or10 read through transcripts, that's not a substitute for11 meeting minutes and meeting minutes are required by12 state law, by local ordinance and by your own rules of13 procedure. I didn't make this up, you did. So that's a14 problem.15 I implore you to do the right thing. I16 think many people have given chapter and verse on why17 and how you can do the right thing. I think you need18 simply to pay attention to what you're being told. I19 think we all value your time. I think we all recognize20 you are our friends and neighbors, you live in the same21 town as many of us or live in a nearby town to others of22 us and you have ought to have a personal stake in doing23 the right thing as well as representative

nds and neighbors, you live in the same21 town as many of us or live in a nearby town to others of22 us and you have ought to have a personal stake in doing23 the right thing as well as representative stake in doing24 the right thing.25