Lilla Dean Reelected As P&Z Chairman

By Andrew Gorosko

In voting at a January 8 session, Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members reelected Democrat Lilla Dean of Hawleyville to another one-year term as the land use agency’s chairman.

Republican Dennis Bloom nominated Ms Dean to head the land use agency. Republican Jane Brymer seconded the nomination. Without opposition, P&Z members unanimously approved Ms Dean’s continued chairmanship of the agency.

Ms Dean became the panel’s chairman in June 2006, having been elected to that post by P&Z members following the resignation of Republican P&Z Chairman William O’Neil, who moved to Virginia. Mr O’Neil had been the chairman for nearly five years.

Ms Dean, of Old Hawleyville Road, has been a P&Z member for more than a decade.

Also at the January 8 session, P&Z members elected Mr Bloom, of Philo Curtis Road in Sandy Hook, to another one-year term as P&Z vice chairman. Ms Brymer nominated Mr Bloom to the post. Democrat Richard English seconded the nomination, which members then approved unanimously.

In other action, P&Z members elected Ms Brymer, of Poverty Hollow Road, to another one-term as P&Z secretary. Ms Dean nominated Ms Brymer, whose nomination was seconded by Mr Bloom, after which P&Z members unanimously approved the action.

Also attending the January 8 session were Republican P&Z member Robert Mulholland and Republican P&Z alternate members Daniel Cruson and James Belden. The panel has a vacancy for a Democratic alternate member.

All members of the P&Z are eligible to vote in the panel’s election of officers.

Typically, alternate members vote on P&Z land use applications in the absence of regular members. The P&Z requires the presence of three members to conduct business.

The current composition of the agency is five Republicans and two Democrats. Among the Republicans, three people are regular members and two are alternates. The Democrats hold two regular memberships.