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Calistoga council rejects mayoral slate for planning commission, approves housing appointment separately

Calistoga City Council · September 7, 2024

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Summary

The council voted 3–1 to reject a resolution confirming the mayor’s nominees to fill planning-commission vacancies after members and public speakers pushed for experienced candidates; the council separately appointed Alana Richardson to the Housing Advisory Committee.

The Calistoga City Council failed to confirm the mayor’s slate of nominees to the planning commission on July 9, voting 3–1 after several council members and residents urged more-experienced appointees.

Mayor Donald Williams nominated two community members to fill unscheduled vacancies on the planning commission and named Alana (Lana) Richardson for the Housing Advisory Committee. Councilmembers Eisenberg, Cooper and Gift voted “No” on the planning-commission resolution; Mayor Williams voted “Yes,” so the motion failed.

Public commenters and council members emphasized the technical demands of planning work and recommended candidates with prior commission experience. Tim Wilkes, who described himself as an 11-year commission member, asked the council to pull the appointments from consent and said, “Kelly Oliver and Doug Allen are the two commissioners that we lost … both very bright people who were well prepared.” Rick Kaiser and Steven Pinsky were named repeatedly by council and members of the public as alternatives with relevant experience.

After the failed roll call on the combined resolution, the mayor bifurcated the matter. The council voted unanimously to appoint Alana Richardson to the Housing Advisory Committee through the end of the year.

Council members said they would revisit the planning-commission nominations at a future meeting and that the mayor would review applications again before presenting nominees.

What’s next: The mayor said he would review applications and bring nominations back at the next council meeting. The council’s failure to confirm the planning-commission nominees leaves the planning body short-staffed during the implementation phase of the housing element.