The Needham Select Board on March 28 voted to change two committee seats on the town’s Stephen Palmer advisory group from required development-industry appointments to at-large positions with experience preferred but not required.

Town counsel told the board the issue revolves around Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 268A, noting both an in-service prohibition and a post-service prohibition that could prevent committee volunteers or their employers from later financially benefiting from work on a town matter. "There are really two sets of conflicts…" the counsel said, explaining Sections 18 and 19 of Chapter 268A and options for curing those conflicts.

The move follows board discussion about whether appointing development professionals to a narrow, site-specific advisory committee could later bar those individuals — or their employers — from participating in a procurement or RFP process if the committee’s work led to redevelopment. Town counsel said the exemption for broadly applicable industry appointments is unlikely to apply because the Stephen Palmer charge is site-specific.

Board members debated alternatives, including nonvoting roles, recruiting retirees with relevant experience, and retaining outside consultants for subject-matter expertise. Dave Sanders, a board participant, urged caution about partial participation: "If there's a potential for conflict, and you're serving on a committee, you excuse yourself. You actually have to vacate the room and not participate," he said.

Several members said hiring consultants and keeping required committee roles minimal would reduce the appearance of an "insider" process while preserving expertise. One board member noted the committee’s work would be more ideation-focused if the seats became at-large, and staff confirmed the town will still procure consultants with expertise in public–private partnerships, land use and community engagement to support the project.

By roll call the board approved the amended charge: two at-large seats, with development experience identified as preferred but not required. The board directed staff to notify the previously identified volunteers about the change, invite them to interview if they wish to proceed, and advertise the openings broadly, including outreach to retirees and residents in proximity to the site.

Practical details discussed included the lease on the property, which a board member said expires in about two years, and the difficulty of drafting procurement criteria that would categorically exclude a particular bidder. Counsel cautioned that, even with restrictions, a volunteer’s employer could bid later and create a conflict outside the individual appointee’s control.

The Select Board did not take other substantive actions on redevelopment options at the meeting; members emphasized the change was intended to reduce conflict risk and preserve public trust while the town proceeds with consultant-led planning and community engagement for the Stephen Palmer site.