Oakland Township's controversial Planning Commission appointments

At the August 12, 2014 Oakland Township Board meeting, three new Planning Commission appointments were made. These three new appointments are in addition to two other recent appointments (Hein and Giannangeli). There was considerable controversy over Supervisor Gonser’s nominees. All three were ultimately appointed though split decision votes. The issues raised were:

• Appointing a non-resident to the commission

• Appointing a builder and real estate broker to the commission

• Appointing an individual that admitted not having the time to fulfill his previous responsibilities as a Tax Board of Appeals member

• Lack of planning experience on Commission, with 5 new commission members, as Township begins Master Planning process

• Lack of geographic diversity – 5 of 7 commissioners are now from the Southwest quadrant of Township

• Lack of age diversity

• Lack of gender diversity

• Concern over Gonser’s yet undisclosed ‘goals’ for his Master Plan ‘vision’

• Concern that some of the individuals appointed “are going to do something for him (Gonser)”

• Lack of using a robust selection process

Several Board members as well as concerned citizens raised these concerns, yet the majority of the Board approved Gonser’s nominees.

Please go to the following link to read more about the discussions that occurred at the meeting:

Oakland Township’s controversial Planning Commission Appointments