Mayor Lenny Curry has asked for the resignations of several appointed board members over the course of his first few months. Nearly all have complied.
Planning Commission members Lisa King and Joey McKinnon have not.
Now it’s City Council’s turn to handle the issue.
Bills to replace King and McKinnon are slated for a public hearing tonight, with dozens of supporters planning to appear at the council meeting to voice their opposition.
“It’s very gratifying to see people who are very concerned come out on a weeknight, pay to park and speak their mind,” King said.
King will speak, too, telling the 19-member group much of what she’s said before: The turnover Curry is pushing on the commission will complicate its work and slow things down, ultimately hurting the city.
The quasi-judicial commission reviews land use and zoning issues across the city, offering recommendations to full council. In mid-September, a day after Curry asked the two to resign, the commission elected King chair for the 2016-17 year.
“It means the world to me,” King said of being elected chair. “It’s a very diverse group … I don’t go in expecting to have the same vision on things and we debate respectfully.”
McKinnon, the newest board member at about five months, said the support expected tonight is a “great feeling.”
Still, both said it isn’t about them as individuals — it’s about continuity of the board.
“It’s an unprecedented move,” McKinnon said of possible turnover. “I think in the short-term, it will have longstanding ramifications.”
It’s rare for incumbent board members to be removed from appointed positions without malfeasance. It’s even more rare when council has to be the deciding factor.
McKinnon suggests maybe one of Curry’s choices to replace him or King instead takes the place of outgoing member Marvin Hill, who has no replacement yet.
That way there’s a continuation of board members wanting to serve who have the expertise needed, McKinnon said.
A change.org petition opposing King and McKinnon’s removals has been signed by 65 people.
King said removal of those in the middle of their term could have a chilling effect on volunteers offering their services to the city. Still, it’s out of her hands at this point.
“It’s really up to council now,” she said. “They have the last word on this.”
Unless the replacements are taken up as an emergency, they’ll be reviewed by council next week with a vote in two weeks.
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