County nears solution on zoning appointments
Staff writer
County commissioners gave preliminary approval Monday to revisions in planning and zoning commissioners are appointed. Final adoption awaits formal drafting of changes by county counselor Brad Jantz.
The primary change is that appointment of at-large position must be approved by four of five commissioners, not a simple majority.
Planning commissioners also would be allowed to serve only three consecutive three-year terms. After a third term, a commissioner would be ineligible to be reappointed for three years.
These changes would preclude reappointment of Derek Belton.
Commissioners talked about reducing the number of planning and zoning commissioners from 11 to 7, with each county commissioner nominating one and the whole county commission voting on two at-large seats. County commissioners currently norminate two, with only one position being at large.
“It will make it easier to organize the meetings,” Jantz said. “It’s like herding cats. Now, you won’t have all of the opinions, but you are going to get them, potentially solicited by people with strong opinions anyway, who attend the meeting.”
Chairman Dave Crofoot said he has two people willing to serve in the at-large position to which Belton was reappointed before the appointment was stayed.
Crofoot said it was hard finding residents willing to take on this responsibility.
Commissioner Clarke Dirks pushed back, however, saying he did not think it would be that difficult.
Jantz will make the changes commissioners requested before bringing the resolution back to them at next week’s meeting.