The Pulaski County Commissioners filled some remaining vacancies on a few boards and commissions, during last week’s meeting.
A couple different options for a new member of the county’s advisory plan commission were presented by Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer. “I have had two people express interest in it,” he explained. “One of them was former commissioner Terry Young, who has also been on the plan commission. I have not spoken to him directly, but I have spoken to him through an intermediary, and he had expressed interest in the plan commission. I also spoke directly with Abby Shidler-Dickey, owner of Greenbridge Farm south of town, and she has expressed willingness to serve on both, to fill the plan commission seat and also that vacant plan commission seat on the BZA.”
Origer added that while Shidler-Dickey hasn’t served on the plan commission or board of zoning appeals before, she is familiar with them. “She has been on the other side of the table, having actually applied and gone through a BZA hearing process, and when she was in college, she studied planning,” Origer said. “I don’t know that she’s ever put it to use, but she does have the academic background, a little bit. And if nothing else, all the other things being equal, she would be the only female we have on a board that is currently all nine males.”
The commissioners voted to appoint Shidler-Dickey to four-year terms on both the plan commission and BZA, with Jerry Locke abstaining.
Additionally, Commissioner Mike McClure agreed to serve on the Pulaski County Community Development Commission for the next year. He replaces Auditor Laura Wheeler as the commissioners’ representative.
Meanwhile, commissioners Kenny Becker and Jerry Locke will serve on the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission.
