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Commissioner says zoning-board member verbally accosted applicant; item added to Thursday agenda
Summary
Commissioner Wright raised allegations that a volunteer zoning-board member, Gene Sullivan, verbally accosted an applicant after a May 22 rezoning decision. The commission voted to add consideration of the incident to Thursday’s agenda and asked staff to supply backup documentation.
Commissioner Wright said a member of the volunteer zoning board, identified in the meeting as Gene Sullivan, verbally accosted an applicant after a May 22 rezoning approval and that several witnesses corroborated the account.
The allegation, described by Wright as “a bridge too far,” prompted discussion among commissioners and a decision to add consideration of the incident to the board’s Thursday agenda so the matter can be reviewed in public. Wright told the commission he will make a motion on Thursday to seek removal of the zoning-board member if the board has not acted beforehand.
Why it matters: the dispute concerns conduct by a volunteer who helps carry out the county’s land-use hearings; commissioners described the episode as potentially undermining public trust and public safety for applicants leaving meetings. Commissioners emphasized they wanted facts and documentation before taking any personnel action.
At the meeting, Wright described the case as 2025-11-RSS, a rezoning involving property on the 4200 block of Highway 87. He said the applicant, identified as Melissa Johnan, was accompanied by Michael Broker of Garden Street Properties, engineer David Fitzpatrick and a realtor the county clerk’s office will identify in official backup. Wright said four people who were present corroborated his account that Sullivan used profane language at the applicants as they left the hearing. Wright told the board, “I can’t stand bullies,” and said he would move on Thursday to seek removal if the board had not addressed the matter.
Other commissioners and public commenters called for caution and more documentation. One commissioner asked that the material related to the incident be included in the Thursday backup or read into the record so the public and the board would have the facts before acting. County staff said the item would be placed on Thursday’s agenda and that backup would be provided to the board.
Next steps: the commission directed staff to add the matter to Thursday’s agenda and to include the written statements and any video or other documentation in the backup materials. The board did not take a removal vote at the meeting; Wright signaled he intends to move formally toward removal on Thursday if the board has not already acted.
