Mount Shasta council interviews applicants, appoints three to Planning Commission

The Mount Shasta City Council conducted interviews of Planning Commission applicants on Oct. 29 and appointed three people to fill upcoming vacancies.

Council members voted to appoint Allen Pardee, Tucson Sarion and Cindy Lee Cone to the Planning Commission by a 4-0 vote. The appointments followed interviews with five candidates: Paul Beck, Alan/Allen Pardee, Laurel Harkness, Tucson Sarion and Cindy Lee Cone (Cone was not present for her interview).

The appointments come as the city prepares to implement elements of its recently approved housing element. Applicants and council members discussed the workload that will flow from translating the housing element’s objectives into municipal code, and the need for commissioners who can handle both detailed, parcel-level review and broader policy context.

Applicant backgrounds and interview highlights

Paul Beck, who serves from outside the city limits (sphere-of-influence seat), described his long tenure on local commissions and urged the council to choose a conscientious steward. Beck told council members, “I have to be honest and say Alan is a highly qualified candidate, and, up…