Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

Wyoming City Council action Tuesday, Feb. 1 resulted in a final decision about appointments to the cityís planning commission that will now have all new members.

These residents, listed alphabetically, were selected by the council: David Gay, Steve Hill, Ken Meyers, P. J. Richardson and Blake Tiedeman.

Revisions in the original announced list came as the result of a request made by CM Allen Juneau.

In written notes related to the motion, City Administrator Jill Teetzel explained that because Juneau had voted on the prevailing side at the Jan. 18 meeting, he could request reconsideration of the council action.

According to Teetzel the effect is to treat the matter as if it had not been settled at all. The council could ìreconsider the matter as though it had not voted on the issue,î she said

The motion to reconsider the appointments was passed by a vote of 2-1, with CM Bob Hittner abstaining. Hittner has served on the planning commission.

Mayor Sheldon Anderson and Juneau voted in favor of reconsideration of appointments. CM Tom LaBarre was opposed.

CM Ted Phillips was ill and unable to attend the meeting.

LaBarre spoke in support of a ìvoice of experienceî on the planning commission, wanting ìat least one person with experience" on the commission.î Anderson agreed with LaBarre.

Hittner said ìon and off appointments are disruptiveî of the lives of members.

On Jan. 18, the choices for the planning commission were David Gay, Ken Meyers, P.J. Richardson, Blake Tiedeman and Chip Yeager. The vote was 3-2 with Anderson and Hittner opposing.

Before his interim appointment to the city council Hittner served on the commission, so he and Teetzel interviewed six candidates, the five appointees and one other. Candidates not interviewed were Yeager, Dick Haworth and Dave Marvel, according to Teetzelís report. There were rankings in the list, but all were judged quality candidates.

Last week the appointments were approved by a vote of 2-1-1; Anderson and Juneau supporting the change, LaBarre voting against, and Hittner again, abstaining.

Both Yeager and Marvel, former planning members, were in the audience and asked for permission to comment. Their questions were not allowed.

Later, Yeager said he merely wanted to know the philosophy of the council with regard to appointments.

Marvel, contacted later, said he wanted to know whether it was against council bylaws or other rules to appoint/reappoint a commission member as was, done Jan. 18, then remove or replace the individual at the next meeting without just cause.Ý Just cause would mean failure to attend meetings, etc., he said.

He was referring only to Yeager, because the interview process was followed for all other new appointments. Even if legal, he questioned the councilís professionalism in doing so.

Attempts to contact council members were unsuccessful through Monday evening.

Other boards

Economic Development Authority board appointments approved on Jan. 18 are David Boniface, Todd Lynn, Paul Raduenz, Norm Riedeman and Nate Wilner.

There was no change in membership of this board.

The park board appointments are Jennifer Hegstad and Janette Walker. Two members make this board short-handed.

In both cases the vote was 5-0 in favor of these appointments.

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