Document text
Hanson gets planning post By Myles Murphy Ashland Daily Tidings Former Ashland City Councilor Cameron Hanson has been confirmed as the city's newest planning commissioner - but not without a fight. The council Tuesday confirmed Hanson 4-2, with councilors John Morrison and Cate Hartzell opposing the choice. The issue was pulled for discussion from the council's consent agenda - a list of items ordinarily rubber-stamped by the council. Historically, mayoral appointments are confirmed by the council with little discussion. "I'm not sure Cameron would have been my choice," Councilor Don Laws said. "But the choice is not made by the council, it's made by the mayor." Laws cited the Ashland City Charter and the council's historic record of approving mayoral appointments as he argued that the mayor's decision should only be questioned if he picks someone who would be extremely inappropriate. "We're not in a position to decide who is the best choice," Laws said. "We're here to make sure the mayor doesn't make a completely unwise choice." Morrison disagreed with Laws, and said the council should take a more active role in helping - or compelling - the mayor to pick the most qualified applicant by holding up questionable confirmations. "I believe our job is to confirm the mayor made the best choice," Morrison said. "I reviewed the list of applicants and there were two or three who, in my view, had superior qualities. For that reason I was disappointed (in the mayor's choice)." Councilors Kate Jackson, Chris Hearn and Alex Amarotico echoed Laws' sentiments, solidifying the vote for Hanson, although not one of them described Hanson as their first choice for the position. "I might have chosen somebody else, but I support the mayor's decision," Hearn said. Hartzell opposed the choice on different grounds, saying she had hoped more consideration would be given to some of the qualified women applicants in an effort to create more gender equity on the nine-member commission, which has two women. "I would like to do the gender thing, but unfortunately it didn't work out in this case," DeBoer said. There were 19 total applicants for two seats on the commission which opened up when Amarotico won his council seat and former commissioner Michael Gardiner won a seat on the Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission. David Dotterrer, chairman of the Traffic Safety Commission, was appointed to one of the seats on the planning commission over nine other applicants, including city planning critics and former council candidates Brent Thompson and Eric Navickas. Not liking the choices in the first wave of applications, DeBoer put the second position up again, hoping for more applications, and picked Hanson, who e-mailed a letter of interest from Egypt where he was serving in the Oregon National Guard. Resident Malena Marvin spoke out against the mayor's choice as well, pointing out that former council candidate and planning commission hopeful Eric Navickas garnered more votes in the recent election than Hanson. "I think that proves the general public supports Eric Navickas to a greater extent than Cameron Hanson," Marvin said. "Eric is speaking up about things of importance to the community." But some councilors cautioned against using an unsuccessful council bid as grounds to appoint someone to the planning commission - although that sort of decision has been common in the past. "Typically, I hope we don't use this as a reward for running for the council," Hartzell said. DeBoer stood by his choice throughout the discussion, citing Hanson's experience on the council and his work as liaison to the Ashland Tree and Historic commissions. "This was the person I thought was best for the job," DeBoer said. Other applicants in the second round included attorney Joseph M. Charter, attorney Tom Petersen, marketer Shelly Austin, one-year Ashland resident Michael Engelstein, former school board budget committee member Jim Watkins, public policy watchdog Jack Hardesty, accountant Susan O. Cain and Ashland Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission Chairman David R. Chapman. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -