City Council Names Four to Planning Commission

In a unusual Tuesday night session the Falls Church Council appointed four residents to the city Planning Commission.  Chosen from a field of eleven applicants were Michael Kearney, Robert Meeks, Russell Wodiska, and incumbent commissioner Ruth Rodgers.  Each will serve a four year term beginning in January 2009.

All candidates previously had been interviewed by the Council’s Appointments Committee on December 17.  City Council members and Commissioner John Lawrence also attended those sessions as observers.

The Appointments Committee, which consists of Councilmen Dan Sze and Lawrence Webb, nominated the four selectees.  Councilman Dave Snyder nominated current chair Maureen Budetti and Nigel Yates.

In the subsequent Council vote Ms. Rodgers and Mr. Meeks were elected unanimously.  Mr. Kearney and Mr. Wodiska each received five votes.  Ms. Budetti and Mr. Yates each received one vote, both from Mr. Snyder.

In the discussion prior to the vote several councilmen praised the qualifications of the applicants.  Mr. Maller stated that each had something to offer in terms of their thoughts and perspectives on relevant issues.

Mr. Snyder referred to the Commission as an essential part of the city’s system of checks and balances and praised its independence, courage, and willingness to stand up to developers and special interests.   Mayor Robin Gardner did not concur with Mr. Snyder’s view stating that, as an appointive rather than an elective body, the Commission should not be considered part of the system of checks and balances.

Mr. Snyder also responded forcefully to a prominent local blog operated by Mayor Gardner’s husband.   Pointing out that the blog had speculated he would engage in “a litany of vacuous fake lawyer questions, objections, accusations, platitudes, sulking, veiled threats and angry personal denunciations against city staff and colleagues,” Snyder noted with obvious pleasure that he had not fulfilled the blog’s prophecy and suggested that “the Mayor’s husband” should correct the record.  He further denied accusations that he had not been devoting sufficient attention to city business, listing several meetings which he recently had attended.

After the vote Vice Mayor Hal Lippman noted that the Council and the current Commission had had what he termed a “tumultuous relationship.”  Stating that he had been ashamed of the way the Commission had comported itself, he hoped that the incoming Commission would have the stability and demeanor appropriate to its responsibilities.

The Planning Commission will hold its next meeting on January 5, 2009.  The new appointees will replace Ms. Budetti, Christine Sanders, and Suzanne Fauber.

Councilman Nader Baroukh was out of town during the holidays and unable to attend the session, which was scheduled on very short notice.