City Council discusses Planning Commission appointments

The Picayune City Council will have to come up with a new plan when it comes to filling a vacant seat on the Planning Commission.

During last night's meeting, City Manager Freddy Drennan asked Diane Miller to open up discussion on re-appointing or appointing new members.

Current members of the planning commission are appointed for a three year term and that time frame has long passed; meaning all five members needed to be voted back in or the city council had to name a replacement. Local real estate broker Martha Ford resigned from the board recently leaving her seat open with four more seats to fill or keep.

Breanna Pitts was unanimously voted in to fill Ms. Ford's seat, and Lydia Williams was re-appointed with only councilman Frank Ford abstaining. Louise Harvin was re-appointed with no objections, but then things took a turn. Bryan Cooper failed to get a second for re-appointment and Christopher Ryan Parker was named as his replacement with Councilman Ford and Anna Turnage abstaining.

The last seat was currently held by George Janet but his vote came to a 3-3 tie which fails to re-appoint, leaving the council to name another appointee.

Anna Turnage made a motion to re-appoint Bryan Cooper to the board, but the motion failed with a 4-2 vote against appointment. This means that the Council will have to revisit this issue and come up with a new appointee to fill the vacant seat at a later date.

The planning commission’s four members voted in are Breanna Pitts, Lydia Williams, Louise Harvin, and Christopher Ryan Parker.