County planning commission still has three seats left to fill

Three positions remain open on Whitman County’s planning commission after county commissioners held off on appointing one of the three positions to David Gibney of Pullman, Monday.

Commissioners were scheduled to appoint Gibney Monday, but that plan was put on hold because he was recently appointed to Pullman’s planning commission.

There are nine seats on the county planning commission, three for each of the three districts into which the county is split. Gibney is up for District 2.

Commissioner Pat O’Neill said county officials wanted to check out whether Gibney could serve on both, but county planner Alan Thomson was out of town last week, so they had no chance to meet.

“Everybody seems to be in agreement that it would be okay,” said O’Neill. “But we haven’t had time to talk about it.”

O’Neill added Jana Schultheis of Colton applied for the same seat while they were checking the status.

Commissioner Greg Partch said the chair of the planning commission, in this case Guy Williams of Pullman, and the county commissioner from the district, O’Neill, typically interview applicants when there is more than one.

In addition to the District 2 seat being open, the remaining two vacancies are positions representing District 1.

Steve Naught of St. John stepped down last month, and Archie Neal of Garfield told commissioners Monday he would not serve another term on the commission.

Neal was appointed to the planning commission in September 2008, and sat on the panel during the contentious process of drawing up ordinances to govern the placement of wind turbines.

Also Monday, county commissioners appointed Rebecca Dickerson of St. John to another four-year term, expiring Dec. 31, 2014, on the Whitman County Rural Library board of trustees.

Dickerson, who publishes the Community Current in St. John, has served on the board since 2006.