Appointments Committee Meeting About Both Process and Candidates
The Gardner Appointments Committee met on January 28, 2026. During the meeting, four residents were interviewed for positions on two City Commissions. Listen to the meeting on any device, CLICK PLAY.
The committee acknowledged the experience of Conservation Commission members, highlighting that Chair Greg Dumas is a licensed building with the ability to “have a quick candid conversation about what the realities of the situation are”, David Orwig who is a forest ecologist at Harvard University with a PHD in ecology, and Duncan Burns whose immense “institutional knowledge” and willingness to ask tough questions were highlighted as valuable assets. The committee interviewed a new candidate for the Zoning Board of Appeals, Jim Bilau, who was a former director for McDonald’s where he oversaw various building expansion projects giving him direct insight into issues the ZBA handles.
Other discussions focused on the process including a new rule which requires that reappointment paperwork be filed 60 to 90 days before a term expires to avoid gaps in municipal service,