ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.
Wayland City Planning Commission member Gary Ragan deserved much better treatment.
Ragan, who has served on the commission for the past 15 years, was surprised to learn Tuesday morning that he will not be back for a sixth three-year term. He very simply was not reappointed.
It was noted that veteran commissioner Anne Tatreux, who has been vice chair, is moving out of town, so she won’t be eligible any more. Townbroadcast also reported that Ragan was stepping down, but it wasn’t true.
The two new Planning Commission members are Suzanne Hoek and Elizabeth Beyer.
A communication on the Internet from the Ragan household indicated that Gary did not resign nor retire. In fact, he was interested in continuing his work.
Gary indicated he did not know he wasn’t reappointed until he read about in the Townbroadcast story published Tuesday morning. The meeting in which it was announced was Monday night.
So it appears a 15-year member of the commission was not accorded the courtesy of being told his services would no longer be required.
Readers should be aware that people are appointed, not elected, to seats on the Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Review and the like. The chief executive officer of the government unit makes that appointment, often with advice and consent of the council or board.
It has been my personal opinion for more than a few years that if a public official is doing a reasonably good job, he or she deserves first crack at reappointment and should be asked if they are interested in continuing. If not, someone else should be named. If they are, however, they should be given a chance to continue unless they aren’t doing a good job.
Gary Ragan was not given that chance. It’s not fair.
