Platte County commissioners add late appointments to agenda over Sunshine Law objection, approve two senior-board nominees

Platte County commissioners on Jan. 21 voted to amend the meeting agenda to include two last-minute executive appointment resolutions and later confirmed both appointees to the Platte County Senior Citizens Service Fund Board.

A commissioner moved to add resolutions naming Terry Lenke and Martha Zerski (names recorded variously in the transcript) to the senior-services board and to place those items after other business-action items. Another commissioner objected, citing the Sunshine Law and saying the additions had not been posted on the agenda in advance. The commission voted 2-1 to add the items to the agenda and, later in the meeting, approved each appointment by a 2-1 roll call.

Why it matters: The contested agenda change and votes drew sustained discussion about transparency rules for public meetings and the timing of appointments to county advisory boards. Commissioners stated differing views about whether the additions met the Sunshine Law exception for “good cause.”

What commissioners said and did: One commissioner said the information about the openings arrived over the weekend and that the senior-board chair told that commissioner the seats were urgent to fill so the board would have a full membership at its next meeting. Another commissioner said the additions were not emergency appointments and that the Sunshine Law requires prior posting; that commissioner asked the commission to defer the appointments to the next meeting so public notice could be provided. During the exchange the transcript records a remark that identified the senior-board chair as Kelly Fricker; that remark was made during the public discussion about whether the additions were justified.

Votes and outcomes: The roll calls show the motion to add the two appointment resolutions to the agenda carried 2-1. Later votes on the individual resolutions to appoint Martha Zersky (transcript also lists spellings Zerski/Zersky) and Terry Lenke (transcript also lists Linky/Lenke variants) each carried 2-1.

Context and procedure: Commissioners noted that appointees often continue to serve past an expired term until a replacement is appointed; proponents of immediate action said filling the open seats would let the senior-services board operate with a full roster. Opponents emphasized the county’s Sunshine Law posting requirements and urged waiting for a properly noticed agenda.

Ending: The approvals concluded without further public comment on the matter. The commission proceeded to other agenda items, including a public hearing on the county budget.