Zoning committee resigns enmasse
PRESCOTT – Members of the Prescott Planning and Zoning Committee resigned enmasse at the March meeting of the Prescott City Council Monday night.
Meredith DeWoody acted as spokesman for the committee, and told the council the committee wanted to make its concerns known. She read a statement prepared by the members who were involved in the public hearing on Feb. 7 and at the appeal hearing at the council meeting on Feb. 22.
The council, she said, was asked to preside over an appeal hearing concerning a manufactured home application. The application was rejected by the committee as it wasn’t notarized. The resident was given the opportunity to be heard at both the appeal and during meetings with the committee and Mayor Terry Oliver before the hearing. Throughout the process, she said, no member of the council contacted any member of the committee to find out why they made the decision to deny the application.
“Could it be that each of you formed your strong opinions based solely on information you received from Mayor Oliver,” she said, “Connie Beard and Mrs. Malone, without regard to the decision of the commissioners? We took our assignment seriously, without prejudice and in accordance to our understanding of the law. We sought educated opinions from a city planning engineer, three attorneys and real estate professionals. We spent many hours trying to do what was right for all the citizens of Prescott, only to be told by a council member that we did not do enough. We respectfully disagree with that statement because we know it’s not the truth.”
DeWoody passed out envelopes to each member of the council, telling them the envelopes outline some of the concerns currently facing property owners in Prescott. She said the committee met with Oliver over these issues, but there was no resolution. “The violation of city ordinances must not continue to be ignored because the future of our community depends on it,” she said. “As elected officials you all took an oath to uphold the laws of our community, and to represent the concerns of all citizens, not just those who voted for you.”
She pointed out Oliver and six members of the council were reluctant to support the committee’s decision, and refuse to enforce the zoning laws of the city. “Because of this, we find it necessary to resign as members of the Planning Commission of the City of Prescott.”
When DeWoody finished, not a word was said by any member of the council or the mayor.
And people wonder why Prescott is dead… a do nothing mayor and city council afraid to do their jobs. Bravo to the Planning and Zoning committee
This adversarial relationship between the council and PZC is a prime example of the cliff the leaders are pushing city over. Ms. Dewoody’s group invested much time and effort in understanding and adhering to the law. The council ,as Vasser pointed out in opening remarks of meeting, undermined the committee while displaying their lack of basic understanding of the law. Of course, no one said a word after Ms.Dewoody’s statement. She and Vasser had each displayed the council’s incompetence. Thanks to the efforts of the committee and Ms. Dewoody ,in particular, for stating the situation so completely. Many would have resigned at the February meeting after the way the mayor and council treated you all. Your committee took the high road.
The resignation of the mayor should’ve followed ….
Perhaps Godwin should be put in charge of that too. He puts her in charge of everything else that is his responsibility.
get rid of the problem makers……and put in some problem solvers…if you continue to do the same thing…..you get the same results