And then there were two...
Three Town P&Z Commissioners term out, leaving confusion behind
Three members of the Town of Taos Planning & Zoning Commission were left befuddled when they recently received letters informing them they had termed out of their positions. Commissioners Pavel Lukes, Doug Patterson and Billy Romero all received letters from the town government telling them their terms were up. This now leaves the commission with just two members – not enough to call a quorum.
The town explained that the term limits had been set for some time, but said COVID-19 got in the way and the town had “accidentally overlooked the annual reappointment of advisory boards and commissions and had let it slide for a few months after realizing it,” said town of Taos manager Rick Bellis in an email.
Regardless, it caught several commissioners off guard. “It was kind of sudden,” said now-former commissioner Billy Romero. “In my opinion, for the town to do that is kind of strange because then they have to cancel meetings until they get a quorum.”
The past two planning and zoning meetings (which take place the first Wednesday of each month) were cancelled. Romero said he was most surprised by the fact the commission now doesn’t have enough members to hear applications, potentially holding up projects.
Romero suggested the town could have gone about it differently, perhaps amending the bylaws to allow members to stay
in their positions until new members were found. “I belong to a few other boards in the propane industry. And normally, for the sake of progress … it’s written into our bylaws, you’ll be replaced or termed out when a replacement is found. How come the council didn’t foresee this and amend the requirements for the commission allowing for an extension?”
Former commissioner Lukes agreed. “We didn’t get any heads up. And actually, when I looked at [the town’s] website, my term is running through this year, 2021,” he said. The town website shows Lukes’ term ending Dec. 31, 2021.
Bellis clarified that the dates listed on the town website were incorrect. “A lot of times we miss updating web site data between changes in staff. I have asked IT and Planning where that information came from and apparently no one remembers or how old it is.”
Commissioner Patterson added that he thought the fact several commissioners had reached their term limits “caught the town off guard as well. I think it surprised them. I don’t think they realized that either until somebody pointed it out to them.”
Bellis said that there was nothing “sinister” behind the terming out of several members. “No one on any board was removed or not reappointed if they were eligible to be reappointed, as it is tough enough to find volunteers,” he said. “It is a sometimes very unfortunate aspect of the code that people who have a great deal of experience and have served the community well for years as a volunteer cannot be reappointed because of the term limit provision.”
Commissioner Norbert Mondragon – whose term ends June 30, 2021 according to the town website – said simply he felt “what the old planning and zoning commission was doing wasn’t in line with the vision that the town government has moving forward.”
Mondragon said he is getting ready to hang up his hat next month, and that looking back, he thoroughly enjoyed his time on the commission. “I really felt like it was a public service that I actually enjoyed. I really did learn a lot. You know, it feeds the soul. You get to feel like you’ve done something for your community.”
All of the commissioners praised the group in similar ways.
“In my tenure in Taos, even when I was not on the planning commission, this was the best planning commission ever,” said Lukes. “It was about balance; balancing the interests of the town as a whole versus the interests of an applicant evenhandedly, whether you like it or don’t like it, it’s something just you have to rise above.”
Romero agreed, saying that their combined knowledge helped form a solid commission.
“I am the chair and commissioner for the Construction Industries Commission, Doug is an architect, Pavel is a very wellrespected real estate person, so that wealth of knowledge just went out the door.”
Commissioner Patterson said he “thoroughly enjoyed all the time that I got to serve … I think we were good at it for the time that we did it.” He added that, personally, he was glad to take a break from the volunteer job, but he worried about the lack of a P&Z commission. As an architect with his own projects looking for approval, he called the scenario “frustrating,” and said he has “some clients for cases that are supposed to be heard, and we can’t get a hearing.”
After June 30, just one member, Kenneth Martinez, will remain on the planning and zoning commission.
Bellis said that during the interim, there is a possibility of an ordinance change that would allow the Historic Presevation Committee members – some of whom have also termed out – and the Planning and Zoning commissioners to “fill in on each other’s meetings to maintain a quorum at all times.” He also pointed out that under the ordinance change, the town council will also be able to hear applications.
The town is looking for qualified applicants for a number of committees. “Anyone interested in serving should contact myself or the Mayor or call 575-751-2002 for details or see our website at taosgov.com,” said Bellis.