Jones County pauses Planning & Zoning appointment pending legal review of dual-board rule

Jones County commissioners on Feb. 17 delayed action on a Planning & Zoning (P&Z) District 2 appointment after members disagreed about whether county ordinance prohibits one person from holding two county-appointed posts.

The meeting opened at 6 p.m. and the board considered several routine reappointments. The board approved a five-year reappointment of Janice Roberts and approved Mary Murray’s three-year reappointment to the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) by voice vote. Commissioners also moved to reappoint Erlene (Arlene) Hamilton to the HPC for three years; that item drew an objection and was later the subject of motion and rescission amid the broader discussion on dual-office limits.

The contested P&Z appointment came when Commissioner Wood moved to appoint John Comer to the P&Z board for a five-year term representing District 2. Another commissioner raised a concern that the county’s ordinance text prohibits holding two board positions and said that, as written, the restriction could apply to appointed members as well as elected officials. That commissioner stated, “our ordinance book for the county commissioner says that no person can hold 2 board positions,” and asked the attorney to review whether the rule applies across all county boards.

Several commissioners exchanged views about whether the prohibition was meant only for elected officials or for appointees. One member urged against removing anyone from an existing post before a legal review. The board voted on motions both to proceed and to postpone; after procedural votes the board agreed not to finalize the P&Z appointment at this meeting and directed staff or the county attorney to provide a legal memo on whether the ordinance’s restriction applies in this situation.

Resident Britney Calhoun, speaking during public comment, flagged apparent code-section tensions—she cited the code sections governing the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning & Zoning—and asked that the county attorney’s conclusion be made public once available.

The board also nominated David Pope during the same discussion and recorded voice votes; commissioners noted the appointments may be revisited once the legal interpretation is clear.

What’s next: The board asked for a legal memo and indicated the PNZ/P&Z appointment(s) will be back on a future agenda after the county attorney clarifies whether the ordinance disallows dual service for these particular boards.