Statement from Pinedale Mayor Steve Smith
Clarification of facts with town’s planning & zoning activities
August 23, 2007
The Town of Pinedale issued the following media statement on Thursday, August 23, 2007, 1:13 PM. We are reprinting it below in its entirety.
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August 22, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Lauren McKeever, (307)367-4136 (Town Hall)
Mayor Steve Smith would like issue the following statement to clarify some facts connected with the town’s planning and zoning activities.
“The renewal of appointments on the town’s Planning and Zoning Board is not connected with the Mayor’s request of volunteer board member Robert Brito.
During this time of growth for Pinedale, the town is, as all responsible communities ultimately do, updating its Master Plan to guide growth and development. During that document review it was discovered that several volunteer board appointments had not been reappointed for some time. To meet the requirements of town ordinances, those two board appointments needed to be renewed. The Planning and Zoning Board was informed of this at its August 6th meeting.
While the renewal of the board appointments are being addressed, the two sitting board members, longstanding members Paul Rock and Barbara Boyce, have expired appointments and therefore, as legal counsel has told us, are not on the board until appointments are updated.
The fact that we are seeking to bring board appointments in compliance with town ordinance is absolutely no reflection of the volunteer service provided by Mr. Rock and Mrs. Boyce. I am deeply appreciative of their years of service, sometimes a thankless and challenging job. Our town owes a debt of gratitude to all of our volunteers on all of our boards. Thank you all.
At this point, we were required to advertise volunteer board openings, which we have done. Mr. Rock and Mrs. Boyce are most welcome, and have, expressed their interest in continuing to serve on the town’s planning and zoning boards. They are welcome to reapply for the open board positions, as are other residents. The decision on those planning and zoning board appointments will be made as soon as possible.
My request to have Mr. Brito submit his resignation was a decision I made as Mayor, and board members do serve at the mayor’s discretion. We were advised by town legal counsel that this does fall within mayoral discretion.
Some of this conflict comes as a symptom of our town’s growing pains, and I am optimistic that we all are working toward the same end result, wise planning facilitated in the most effective manner possible. Feel free to contact me at town hall with further questions.”
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Related Links:
P&Z board ‘coup’ (Pinedale Roundup, By Jennie Oemig, August 23, 2007)
www.townofpinedale.com
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