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FRAMINGHAM – Mayor Yvonne Spicer is nominating District 2 resident Steven Weisman to the 7-member Conservation Commission.

The Framingham Conservation Commission was established in 1961 to protect and manage open space for the City as well as administer the Wetlands Protection Act and the Wetlands
Protection Bylaw.”

Weisman as chair of the Framingham Community Preservation Act Study Group in 2019-2020. He sought to be appointed to the Framingham Community Preservation Committee in 2021, but was not appointed by the City Council.

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Long-time Conservation Commission Chair Robert Bois chose not to seek re-appointment to the Commission.

In his July 8 application to the Mayor, Weisman wrote “Robert Bois, the current and long-time Conservation Commission chair, has recommended that I apply to be a member of the Conservation Commission. He has told me that I have a mix of skills, interests, and experience that would be useful to the ConCom and has endorsed my candidacy.”

The Stearns Street resident has a “Master’s degree in Regional Planning from UMASS-Amherst, focused on Community Resource Protection and Development; Master’s thesis on local strategies for open space and natural resource protection; Graduate education in local zoning matters, MA wetlands protection act, and the role of conservation commissions as the local administrator and enforcer for wetlands protection.”

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The 35-year resident of Framingham, is also a “long-time Board member of Friends of Saxonville.”

Weisman in his application wrote he has “knowledge of the responsibilities of Conservation Commissions as a result of an internship with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions.− Volunteer with The Trustees and Historic New England organizations, as well as the Town of Wayland Conservation Commission, working on property management of open space they own, including agricultural land.”

He said in his application he would “advocate for open space protection, demonstrated by my membership in Sudbury Valley Trustees; Massachusetts Audubon; Historic New England, and The Trustees.”

The appointment of Weisman is subject to the approval of the Framingham City Council, the legislative branch of government in the City of Framingham. A majority vote is needed for approval. If no action is taken in 30 days, the appointment is automatically approved.

The Framingham Conservation Commission meets the first and third Wednesdays.

The Conservation Commission, in conjunction with the Conservation Office, is responsible for
reviewing all proposed and on-going municipal, private, commercial, and industrial projects to
determine if they are in compliance with local, state, and federal wetland laws.

The other members are:

  • Jennifer Forman-Orth of District 1 through June 30, 2022
  • Priya Gandbhir of District 3 through June 2022
  • William Merriam of District 3 through June 2024
  • Thomas Liveston, Jr. of District 3 through June 2023
  • Sampath Bade of District 6 through June 2023
  • Temitayo Akinbola of District 7 through June 2023

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By editor

Susan Petroni is the former editor for SOURCE. She is the founder of the former news site, which as of May 1, 2023, is now a self-publishing community bulletin board. The website no longer has a journalist but a webmaster.