Alna selectmen have two questions for planning board members: Do they want selectmen to consider keeping them on the board and, if so, for how long. The poll is part of selectmen’s plans to stagger planning board terms and to ensure the board is fair and collaborative, Second Selectman Doug Baston and Third Selectman Greg Shute said in a Zoom meeting Aug. 12.

They noted the planning board’s new bylaws call for the new round of appointments, which selectmen are calling a reorganization.

Shute and Baston said they would like a board with varied backgrounds, such as someone from construction and development and someone familiar with resource protection; members should be collaborative and able to agree or disagree and move on; and be judicious, not swayed by feelings, selectmen said. In a phone interview later, Baston said their comments reflected no dissatisfaction with the performance of the current board.

“I’d like them to reapply. I think they’ve been through a tough time. I certainly don’t want to discourage them. On the other hand, if they wanted to get off, this is the time to do it because we’ve got to reset everything.”

Bylaws the planning board passed Aug. 6 state selectmen will appoint five members and two alternates. “The term of each full voting member shall be five years except that the initial terms shall be staggered (with) two members ... appointed to three-year terms, one member to a four-year term and two members to five-year terms.” Alternate members’ terms will run five years, the new bylaws state.

Baston said asking to stay on does not guarantee a current member will get reappointed. “It doesn’t mean they’ll automatically be approved, but we certainly don’t want to dishonor them by saying ‘You’re just like anyone else,’” so selectmen will consider them before new applicants, he said. There will be at least one new face: One alternate member’s seat is vacant, he said.

Selectmen also have a vacancy to fill on Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12’s board following Ralph Hilton’s recent resignation. The term has a year left on it, Baston said. Anyone interested should contact a selectman or email alnaclerk@gmail.com. Baston said the town’s other representative, Doug Morier, “has a particular interest in private schools. Ralph (had) more of a bend toward public schools. It would be nice if we had a public schools (interested) candidate ... Our kids are roughly half and half, so it’s nice to have both focuses represented.”

Also Aug. 12, Shute said this year’s erosion near the stairs and retaining wall at Head Tide Dam will be addressed in September, to avoid peak swimming season. And planning board approval will be sought soon for the proposed fencing at the dam, Shute said.