“It’s like deja vu all over again.” — Yogi Berra

In almost a carbon copy of a meeting from a year ago, the Dorr Township Board deadlocked 3-3 on reappointing Larry Dolegowski to the Planning Commission and appointing former Township Clerk Brian Boot to the same seat. The same board had a 3-3 vote last year on reappointing longtime Chairman Bob Wagner, before finally reaffirming him in a special meeting.

Even more eerie was that a key part of the deadlock was the absence of Trustee Josh Otto, just like in 2017. And reasons for not returning Dolegowski to a seat he’s held for a long time echoed the proceedings of 12 months ago.

Trustee John Tuinstra, just as he did on Wagner in 2017, objected to Dolegowski getting another three-year term because of his support for term limits.

Tuinstra said he was voting no “because a long period of time gives one a sense of influence… We have 7,000 other people in this township.”

Trustee Terry Rios, also a member of the Planning Commission as representative of the Township Board, agreed, saying, “I think these are valid reasons. Nobody else gets the opportunity (to serve when the same people are reappointed).”

Supervisor Jeff Miling, who at first put forward the name of Boot, said, “I’d like to have Larry on there. He’s doing a good job.”

After the 3-3 tie on Dolegowski, Miling moved to appoint Boot, who was clerk until 2016, when Debbie Sewers defeated him in the primary.

Rios pointed out that Boot was appointed as the board’s liaison on the commission in the summer of 2016, but never showed up to any of the six meetings afterward.

“He never attended any meetings,” she said. “That doesn’t make any sense. That”s the bottom line.”

Sewers, Rios and Tuinstra, just as in the vote on Dolegowski, voted in the negative. Miling, Treasurer Jim, Martin and Trustee Dan Weber all voted in the affirmative for both candidates. The tally was exactly the same as in June 2017 on the question of reappointing Wagner.

The board voted 6-0 to reappoint Dan Beute to his second three-year term, but one seat will be vacant until the full township board votes on the issue again.

Dolegowski, Boot, Beute, former Trustee Patty Senneker and current Zoning Board of Appeals member Chandler Stanton expressed interest in serving on the commission. Miling ruled out Stanton because he is on the ZBA and can’t hold both positions at the same time.

At one point, it appeared Sewers was prepared to move the appointment of Senneker, but she was rebuffed by Miling, who pointed out that only the supervisor may move to make appointments. Miling also rebuffed Sewers’ suggestion that Stanton resign from the ZBA to make him eligible to serve on the Planning Commission.

So the next meeting of the Planning Commission will include, at most, six members, with Dolegowski’s seat remaining vacant until a full vote of the seven-member Township Board decides.