There is an old saying that when everyone is thinking the same way, no one is thinking. That may be the notion behind a recent concern raised by the Hailey City Council over the fact that some people hold multiple seats on city boards and commissions.
City advisory boards and commissions are recommending bodies to the City Council. They have a significant influence on council decisions regarding budgeting and the writing of city ordinances.
Janet Fugate, who is a member of the Hailey Parks and Lands Board, was appointed to the Hailey Planning and Zoning Commission last week. She took the place of David Lloyd, who is stepping down after two years on the commission.
Mark Johnstone, a P&Z commissioner, also holds a seat on the Hailey Arts Commission.
Geoffrey Moore, who was recently reappointed to the P&Z, was also appointed to the city's Development Impact Fee Committee.
The City Council recently approved all of the appointments, made by Mayor Rick Davis, but several members expressed unease that some faces will be showing up in seats at different public meetings at City Hall.
"This reduces diversity," said Councilwoman Carol Brown at a City Council meeting Monday, Dec. 20.
Councilmen Fritz Haemmerle and Don Keirn agreed with Brown and suggested finding ways to bring new blood into local government.
Haemmerle said it would be best if people were allowed to sit on only one board at a time. Keirn called for a "recruitment plan" to draw more people onto commissions and advisory boards.
Davis said he appointed people to more than one governmental advisory body in order to create more communication among them.
"I hope it will help expedite some things," he said. "If it doesn't work out, we can go back to how things were."
In other Hailey news:
( Resident Becki Keefer will step down from the Parks and Lands Board.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
