An Avondale Estates commission work session Monday began as an interview panel for replacing three of the city’s five Planning and Zoning Board members. But it ended as a discussion on the actual protocol for such a process.
Ten applied for the PZB openings and six showed up Monday for face-to-face interviews. The remaining four submitted written answers to a list of questions and did not attend the work session.
Mayor Pro Tem Terry Giager, the longest serving commissioner (in his seventh year), said the session shouldn’t have been called to begin with. He stated that commissioners shouldn’t make any recommendations to the PZB when four applicants weren’t available in person.
He said this set a questionable precedent because replacing members on any board is the responsibility of that board and not the commission.
Mayor Jonathan Elmore told the AJC there are no bylaws on how to select committees. He also said he believes commissioners needed to at least take charge of the current scenario because the PZB is down to two members and therefore not a quorum.
What happens next is uncertain. The two remaining PZB members—neither attended Monday’s work session— have each recommended three candidates. Elmore is hoping the five commissioners will each recommend their three candidates during another work session tonight.
If there is a tie, there’s no system for choosing finalists.
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