Josephine planning commission accepts Greg Garcia's resignation, delays choosing replacement

The City of Josephine Planning and Zoning Commission on Jan. 15 voted to accept the resignation of Greg Garcia and to table any recommendation for a permanent replacement until the next meeting. Chair Lloyd Brown opened the item after noting the council had previously approved alternates and full members on an earlier occasion.

Staff legal advisor Mr. McGill told the commission that the commission is composed of five full members and up to four alternates and said the ordinance does not establish a formal ranking for alternates. He recommended accepting the resignation while tabling the recommendation so the chair can consult with the two alternates and staff can seek guidance from the city attorney. "The composition of the Planning and Zoning Commission is 5 full members and up to 4 alternate members," McGill said, noting there is no required order to advance alternates to full membership.

Commissioners expressed concern about fairness if the commission were to select one alternate without written procedure and discussed options including forwarding both alternates' application packets to the council or reopening the application process to the public. One commissioner moved to accept Garcia's resignation and to table action on approving a replacement; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Staff said it will research procedures used by other municipalities and may propose an ordinance amendment to establish a clear process for filling a vacancy; a decision on a replacement will be brought back at the next Planning and Zoning meeting.