Chief planner leaves board
The Daily Mail
Mar. 20, 2009

CAIRO — Peter Maassmann resigned from his post as Planning Board Chairman during a meeting of the Town Board Wednesday.

He offered no reason at the time, but Maassmann said Thursday his decision to leave the board was motivated by the needs of his resort, Blackhead Mountain Lodge and Country Club.

The workload faced by the Planning Board required more time than he had to give, Maassmann said.

“I do not want to leave,” he said, “I do not want to become less involved in the town.”

Maassmann was appointed to the Planning Board six years ago and as its chairman last year, after Robert Phoenix stepped down from the position.

Maassmann said that he tried to adhere to and implement the guidelines set forth by the town’s comprehensive plan and town laws during his time on the board and that he had treated all applications before the planners fairly.

“I know that I did the job that was expected of me,” he said.

Maassmann recommended to the Town Board that his deputy chairman Daniel Benoit be appointed as his replacement.

Benoit, Maassmann said, knows the town laws very well and conducts himself professionally.

Town Supervisor John Coyne thanked Maassmann for his service to the town Wednesday night.

Coyne said Thursday that he was disappointed by the resignation, but that he respected Maassmann’s decision.

Maassmann had not given the Town Board notice of his intentions before Wednesday’s meeting, Coyne said.

“I was very surprised,” Coyne said.

A special Planning Board meeting, which was scheduled for tonight, has been postponed until next week, Coyne said.

A number of issues were to be discussed at the meeting, including the relocation of the Chamber of Commerce’s booth to the Stewart’s Shop in town.

The Town Board will decide whether to appoint Benoit as the new board chairman, Coyne said, and will try to resolve questions about whether notices for previous special Planning Board meetings were correctly advertised.

Planning Board member Raymond Pacifico said Thursday that Maassmann brought a lot of knowledge to the Planning Board.

“With Peter’s resignation, we have lost now a second valuable member of the board in the last couple years,” he said, referring to the Town Board’s decision not to reappoint Phoenix to the Planning Board early last year.

Maassmann thanked the Town Board, his fellow board members and Town Attorney Tal Rappleyea for allowing him to serve on the board and for their support over the years.

“I enjoyed working hard for the town,” Maassmann said.