Attorney Jesse Bell Appointed To Nantucket Planning & Economic Development Commission

Local attorney Jesse Bell, the former executive director of the Nantucket Land Bank, was appointed to the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission (NP&EDC) during its meeting on Monday.

“I believe that my combined public and private sector experience gives me the benefit of understanding both perspectives when it comes to reviewing projects and plans,” Bell wrote in her application. “I commend the NPEDC for expanding access to the Commission through its recent effort to amend the enabling legislation, specifically with respect to membership composition. By broadening the diversity of perspectives at the table, this change will strengthen the Commission's ability to offer valuable feedback on the projects, plans, and initiatives that come before it, ensuring that feedback is more representative of the island as a whole.”

Bell will join Land Bank Commission chair Kristina Jelleme and Planning Board alternate Abby De Molina as an at-large member of Nantucket’s long-range planning body. She was the only applicant for the seat and was appointed unanimously.

“My experience with the Land Bank has allowed me to play a substantial role in public-sector capital projects, helping to shepherd these projects from concept to completion. I understand procurement and permitting constraints, and the importance of making sure such projects are vetted by interested stakeholders throughout the process,” Bell wrote. “I am also currently a small business owner, with a downtown office, representing private clients in property and land use matters, and in the course of representing such clients, I have come to better understand the challenges of navigating these issues as a private homeowner.”

The seat became vacant when former at-large member Liza Hatton was appointed to the Planning Board. All Planning Board members serve on the NPEDC, so Hatton automatically earned a separate seat when she was appointed, thereby opening her old seat. Hatton had served for a year as an at-large member, finishing the remainder of local business owner Wendy Hudson’s term.