Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper the Chatham Town Board April 13, hired planner Michael Allen of Regrowth Planning to work with the town's Comprehensive Plan Update Review Committee on an update of the town’s 2009 Comprehensive Plan. The board agreed to pay Allen no more than $19,090. The committee co-chair, town board member Abi Mesick previously proposed paying Allen $42,000 for one year's work, but other board members balked at the cost. Allen’s entire original proposal was defeated on a vote of 3 to 2 and he was then asked if the work could be accomplished in pieces, starting with a survey to determine what updates are needed. Allen's new, shorter proposal includes information on trends and demographics in the town, a public meeting and a townwide survey. The plan is posted on the town’s website with the agenda for the special meeting. At the meeting, board member John Wapner said he had reached out to Allen and learned that he was open to the idea of “doing something different” from what was in his original proposal after the survey is complete and if his work with the town continues. Supervisor Donal Collins asked Mesick to get a timeline for a survey and to bring that to the board. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.