Planning commission recommends appointment of Trina Kingsbury after interviews; elects new chair and vice chair

The St. Helens Planning Commission recommended the City Council appoint Trina Kingsbury to a vacant planning commission seat after interviewing three candidates at the meeting.

Commissioners interviewed three applicants: Jay Ekternach, Joshua Walter, and Trina Kingsbury. Each described local ties and reasons for seeking appointment. Ekternach highlighted decades of sales and board experience including fundraising for schools; Walter emphasized community market and agritourism interests and remote work availability; Kingsbury, a supply‑chain professional, emphasized her engagement with downtown and interest in historic preservation. Commissioners asked candidates about conflicts, time availability, historic‑preservation interest and handling public disappointment; each candidate said they could commit to meeting schedules and packet review.

After discussion and ranking, the commissioners moved to recommend the council appoint Trina Kingsbury. The motion passed with recorded affirmative votes; the commission asked staff to forward the recommendation to City Council for final appointment and noted the council may need to waive a city policy that generally discourages members serving simultaneously on multiple boards when/if necessary.

Separately at the meeting start the commission elected its officers for the coming term. Commissioners nominated and approved a new chair and nominated and approved Commissioner Sysco Brook (recorded as Brooke / Sysco Brook in the packet) as vice chair. The chair and vice chair elections were decided by voice vote with commissioners saying “Aye.”