McCollum

THOMASVILLE — At least one board appointed by Thomasville City Council will not have a quorum present at its first meeting of 2019 and will not be able to take action.

City staff has made recommendations for the following boards:

• Architectural Reviews & Zoning Appeals

• Building Contractors Examining

• Historic Preservation Commission

• Housing Authority

• Main Street Advisory

• Planning and Zoning

• Tree & Landscape

At a Wednesday council workshop, Mayor Greg Hobbs acknowledged it is time to make appointments, and recommendations have been made by staff.

“But I think the council wants to appoint some other people to serve,” Hobbs said.

Appointments will be discussed at the first council workshop in January, the mayor said.

Lynn Williams, assistant city manager for communications/economic development, told council the city has certain requirements for Main Street Advisory Board members. A downtown merchant and a member of the Thomasville-Thomas County Board of Directors should be on the board, she said.

“When considering those, if you will, keep that in mind,” Williams told council members.

Mark Harmon, who heads the city building department, said the Building Contractors Examining Board must have an architect and an engineer on the panel. The four people who applied for an appointment include a contractor and three others who have no experience in required areas.

Council member David Hufstetler asked Harmon where the requirement is “spelled out” and to provide him with the information.

Haile McCollum, planning and zoning commission chairman, said the nine-member panel would not have the quorum needed to vote at the Jan. 7 meeting. The commission would have four members eligible to participate in the January meeting.

Two members’ terms expire Dec. 31, two resigned and one stepped down after being elected to the Thomas County Commission.

“We certainly could not vote on anything,” McCollum said, adding that the commission could only discuss projects.

At a planning committee meeting this fall, McCollum said, she told Hufstetler and council members Jay Flowers and Terry Scott there would be five openings on planning and zoning and requested that they consider appointing two new members “as soon as possible” to replace the two who resigned this year.

“Council has declined to appoint two replacements and, as of this week, they have declined to meet the Dec. 31 deadline for the three other appointments,” McCollum said Thursday. “That leaves the planning and zoning commission without a quorum, and therefore unable to vote, as of the end of the year.”

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820