Mills Objects to Bylaw Changes

Rehoboth Selectman Lenny Mills expressed his objections to approving a set of bylaw revisions at the May 15 Planning Board meeting.

Town Clerk Laura Schwall and Richard Panofsky, a member of the group which had worked on the bylaw changes, briefed members of the Board, which includes Mills.

 “We have to be clear and direct what we’re doing here. This is becoming a war for the people in this town. I’m not signing 350 pages like I’m elected in Washington,” Mills said. “I don’t need to be insulted with 350 pages.”

“We were open and transparent with everyone,” Schwall replied. “Anybody could have come in my office and I had access to these documents. You all had access to the General Code site that you could’ve looked at the comments that every board and every department had.”

“I don’t think that’s a good system,” Mills told Schwall. “You sit (at your job) for over $100,000 a year. (The Planning Board) sit for free. We sit here for free, including the Selectmen. I don’t think we should have to come in and sit with you to go over (the bylaw changes).”

“If the Town Clerk thinks her job is the only important one to get us over here and (approve the bylaw changes),” Mills said.

“We are not leaving this meeting,” Panofsky said to Mills. “There is no need for this kind of discussion to occur.”

Panofsky later walked out during the discussion and tendered his resignation from all the boards he had volunteered for.

“While I’m here, I’m going to try to be as gentlemanly as I can and fight for this town,” Mills added.