Council appoints Mimi “Mimi” Sorensen to Planning and Zoning; second seat remains tied and council moves to executive session

The Pinetop Lakeside Town Council voted to appoint Mary Jane “Mimi” Sorensen to a seat on the Pinetop Lakeside Planning and Zoning Commission and later moved into executive session after failing to break a tie for the second seat.

Jeremiah (staff member) explained that two current commissioner terms — those of John Sosco and Allison Stewart — are expiring and that the town received three letters of interest from Derek Cavy, Larry McCormick and Mary Jane “Mimi” Sorensen. He said per town code one vacancy must be filled by a resident within the town boundaries and noted all three applicants met eligibility requirements.

Council ballots produced a majority for Mimi Sorensen in the first round; council members then split 3–3 between Derek Cavy and Larry McCormick for the remaining seat. After repeated tied ballots, the council voted to move into executive session to discuss appointment matters pursuant to state open‑meeting law.

Why it matters: Planning and zoning commissioners make recommendations on land‑use and development matters that the town council considers. Filling two vacancies will change the advisory body’s composition and could affect future land‑use decisions.

What happened on the record: Jeremiah provided background about the vacancies and eligibility. Applicants were interviewed on topics including balancing residential, commercial and environmental concerns, code enforcement and transparency. Mary Jane "Mimi" Sorensen said she brings long local ties and small‑business experience and framed decisions as a benefit‑versus‑risk analysis. Derek Cavy emphasized following ordinances and being a voice of reason; Larry McCormick stressed citizen input, annexation considerations and safety concerns such as crosswalks.

Vote and next step: After the first ballot produced a majority for Sorensen, the council recorded a 3–3 tie between Cavy and McCormick for the second seat. The council then voted to enter executive session under the statute cited on the record (ARS 38‑431.03(A)(1) as read during the meeting) to discuss appointments; the meeting record shows the council announced an executive session will be held and recessed.

What was not decided: The second appointment was unresolved on the public record; the council did not announce a final selection prior to recessing for executive session.

Clarifications from the meeting: Jeremiah stated that the outgoing commissioners’ terms were expiring on July 24, 2025, and that appointees would serve terms expiring July 27, 2028; the transcript contained some verbal corrections while staff read term dates.