Council rejects mayoral appointments to Canal Winchester planning commission

Canal Winchester Mayor Mike Ebert expects to bring at least one new appointment to the city’s seven-member planning and zoning commission at the City Council meeting Feb. 7.

Ebert’s first two picks, former planning commission member Mark Caulk and Chuck Carpenter, were rejected by council by a 4-3 vote on Jan. 18.

Jill Amos, Laurie Amick, Ashley Ward and Patrick Shea voted against the appointments. Mike Walker, council Vice President Bob Clark and council President Chuck Milliken voted in favor.

The mayor’s planning commission appointees, who serve four-year terms, must be confirmed by council, according to the city charter.

Amos, Amick and Ward questioned Carpenter’s qualifications, asked why Caulk’s application wasn’t available for review and wanted to know why longtime commission member Mike Vasko was not reappointed.

“I did adhere to the … volunteer qualifications exactly as spelled out in the Canal Winchester city charter, that being … that the volunteer appointment must be a resident of the municipality, period,” Ebert said in an emailed response.

Ebert also said that when council selected community members to serve on “the very important” committee that will recommend a consultant to create a new comprehensive plan for the city, “at least three volunteers” were chosen without “regard to any additional qualifications or experience other than residency.”

“That’s OK by me, but it’s not OK by council when it comes to my appointment,” Ebert said.

“The hang-up of some council members of my appointment was the fact that (Carpenter) is a friend of mine, of which I have many with my 71 years of living in Canal Winchester,” he said.

After reviewing the applications, Amos said she thought more-qualified candidates, including Vasko, were overlooked.

“I know the mayor is supposed to pick this position, but I want to reiterate that … we are in a position right now where our city is asking for us to be responsible for development,” Amos said during the Jan. 18 meeting. “They are asking us to put people in place who are responsible on development.”

Amos told Ebert that he did “the bare minimum” in selecting from the list of planning commission candidates.

“All the candidates should’ve been considered fairly, and I don’t think that was done,” she said. “You have your opinion, and I have mine.”

Ebert responded, “I really don’t know how Chuck would vote on anything. I really don’t,” which drew laughter from those attending the council meeting.

Carpenter, who did not win election to City Council in November, said during the public comment portion of the meeting that he filled out an application to serve on the planning and zoning commission because he wanted to help the city.

“I’m running into roadblocks, and I’m not sure why,” he said.

According to the city charter, the planning commission “shall hear all appeals from administrative officers and employees authorized by ordinance or resolution with respect to zoning, platting, subdivision, building and other regulations pertaining to land uses.”

The commission makes recommendations to council, which require two-thirds of its members to pass “any zoning ordinance which differs from the written recommendations of the planning and zoning commission,” the charter states.

The charter does not specify any application process to serve on city boards and commissioners; however, city staff members created an application form for residents – available online at https://tinyurl.com/2p8v4xj9 – to help increase interest in serving.

One question on the form asks, “What skills, talents, expertise or professional experience do you have that can enhance the work of the board or commission and benefit the community?”

Applications remain on file for two years.

Caulk did not provide an application for reappointment, even when asked to do so, according to Ebert.

“You established a process and the process was followed by every candidate except one,” Shea said. “We requested that, that candidate follow the process. We are a government body. We should do everything the same way with a process.”

Clark said the mayor “has the prerogative to bring who he wants and (council) has the right to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ … but what you’re doing is you’re going to delay this community … and we can’t have planning and zoning meetings and move business forward.”

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Council rejects mayoral appointments to Canal Winchester planning commission