Newcastle mayor asks to be appointed as Lawrence County redevelopment authority member; commissioners formally reannounce vacancy

Mayor Mark Lisco of the City of Newcastle told the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday that he wants to be considered for a vacant seat on the Lawrence County Redevelopment Authority. “I am submitting my name to be considered by you guys to be on the redevelopment authority,” Lisco said during the public-comment portion of the meeting.

The board said the county ordinance that governs appointments requires that any vacancy be announced at two public meetings before the board accepts applicants. The presiding commissioner told Lisco the county would make a second public announcement and allow potential applicants to submit a letter, an email or speak at a public meeting. “The ordinance states that when there is an opening, we have to announce that opening in 2 public meetings,” the presiding commissioner said.

Why it matters: seats on the redevelopment authority influence local economic-development projects and decisions about county-owned property. The board said it will perform criminal background checks on any applicants, as required by the ordinance, before making appointments.

What the board said it will do next: commissioners indicated they will leave the application window open for about a week so anyone who wants to apply may do so or attend next week’s public meeting to state interest in person. The presiding commissioner formally made the second announcement during the meeting and confirmed the board would wait at least until the next scheduled meeting to accept additional applicants.

Public input and applicants: at the meeting the board noted two people had already expressed interest. Mayor Lisco spoke in person; the meeting record also lists an application or letter from another prospective applicant, and one additional person identified as Van Bush from Forward Lawrence had expressed interest.

Process and limits: the board reiterated it will accept applications only from Lawrence County residents and that each applicant will be subject to a criminal-background check before appointment. No appointment was made during the June 3 meeting; the board merely announced the vacancy and set a short application window.

Ending: the board said it will accept written or emailed applications or in-person statements of interest and will resume consideration next week after the application window closes.