With Mayor Todd Culotta’s decision not to reappoint Planning Commissioner Shelby DiCostanzo when her term expires on August 31, 2026, public outcry continues. Culotta has not yet named a replacement for DiCostanzo and there is no agenda item regarding the new commissioner on the next City Council meeting.
“I want to talk about Shelby DiCostanzo,” Julie Morris, who gave her address as Cedar Beach Road, said. “She has not simply occupied a seat while regulations were rewritten. The city records actually show she’s the one that made the motion recommending that both Chapter 200 amendments and Chapter 230 zoning amendments be sent to City Council and all of you guys supported those recommendations unanimously.”
Morris continued, asking the sitting commissioners to stand up for DiCostanzo.
“The commissioners who served with her, did you think she was a good commissioner?” Morris said. “Did you respect her work? Did you believe she deserved to continue to serve, because if the answer is yes, I don’t understand the silence surrounding the mayor’s decision not to reappoint her. Tonight, I am asking you to tell the public whether Milford’s development regulations are working as intended. How much longer are you going to approve old developments under the old codes? Investigate the drainage concerns being placed into this record, and if you value Shelby DiCostanzo’s service, I think you should say so publicly.”
There was no comment during the August 18 meeting that it was DiCostanzo’s last. Social media comments support Morris’ statements.
“It wouldn’t have happened under Mayor Archie Campbell,” Austin Auen said. “Folks knew when Todd was running exactly who he was running to represent: big business and big builders.”
Culotta stated that he decided not to renominate DiCostanzo as he had an application from someone else whose thinking was more in line with his.
“I want to make room on the commission for people who are interested in being on the commission who I think would be good for the city of Milford,” Culotta said. “I’m not going to be mayor of a city and then have people on boards that go against what I would like to see the direction the city goes in, and that’s economic growth, that’s affordable housing, that’s jobs for people to help the city grow and live a better life.”
“I listened to the meeting last night and certainly did not like the way the mayor responded to the question of replacing an existing board member on the board,” Thomas Chilton said. “It smells of corruption. Very sad.”
Lezlie Eustis pointed out that Culotta did not have the courtesy to even call DiCostanzo and let her know he was not renewing her commission.
“Oh wow, with your long history in Milford and knowledge of the area,” Peggy Bowden Spence said. “He’ll nominate at a later date, had someone in mind, sounds a little hazy to me. Since when does Milford operate like that. Been around this area a long, long time. Not a good look for them. A public servant should keep the people in mind, that’s the job moving forward for the good of the whole.”
The Planning Commission can have up to nine members and they currently only have seven. Council can vote to increase the number of commissioners from seven to nine, but that would need to be an agenda item in order for them to vote. As of now, there is no agenda item related to planning commission.
