P&Z Minus Another Member

The county's planning and zoning commission, already minus two long-time members - Anna Liisa Covell and Anthony Palmieri - was hit with another broadside Friday when Bob DeWitt tendered his resignation.

DeWitt, another established board member, said in a Dec. 5 letter that his heart condition has escalated and he is seeking a heart transplant.

DeWitt has served on the board for about eight years.

"I shall continue to monitor and keep abreast of what this board is doing, and I hope to visit with all of you over the next few years," DeWitt wrote to his P&Z colleagues and county commissioners.

County commissioners at their Dec 16 meeting are scheduled to appoint replacements for Covell and Palmieri. The county administrator's office will follow normal advertising procedures to seek new applications to fill DeWitt's remaining term, which expires Dec. 31, 2009.

Robert Widmar and Kenneth Smith remain on the five-person volunteer board.

The planning commission recommends, reviews and approves planning applications. County commissioners are free to accept or deny P&Z recommendations when they meet at the monthly Land Use Hearing.

Covell was appointed in December 2000 and served two terms. Palmieri was appointed to fill out a term in February 1998 and subsequently served two consecutive terms.

Because of term limits, they had to step down.

Complicating matters further, two alternate positions, currently held by Lisa Hammond and Mary Preston, are also set to expire Dec. 31.

County commissioners will appoint new members to fill those alternate positions at their Dec. 16 meeting.