Chairman James Shaffer stepped aside from the Inola Planning and Zoning Commission earlier this month amid questions about his multiple roles in the town's government.
Shaffer had served on the commission for three years. Commissioners are appointed by the Inola Board of Trustees and serve on a volunteer basis.
In June, the Board of Trustees created the paid staff position of city planner and approved Shaffer's hiring for the role.
But at their next meeting on July 13, trustees and meeting attendees raised concerns over the appearance of conflicts of interest, citing Shaffer's ongoing role on the Planning and Zoning Commission and his job as a local realtor.
Although several commended Shaffer's work and personal integrity, they cited concerns about how he was hired as city planner: at the suggestion of Town Administrator Scott Devers rather than via a competitive, widely advertised application process.
The Board of Trustees voted 3-2 not to terminate Shaffer as city planner. But as they considered whether to initiate a more competitive hiring process for the position, Shaffer approached the podium to resign from both his job as city planner and his volunteer role on the commission.
"I have volunteered for three years that people don't understand or know about, and that's OK," Shaffer said. "I hope you can find the planner that you need. I trust that you can find the planning committee members that you need….That way there is no conflict."
Shaffer emphasized his resignation was to alleviate pressure on the Board of Trustees, not because of a conflict of interest.
"Planning and zoning is only a group that recommends to you," Shaffer said as he addressed the board. "You make the decision. But we have folks within the community who may or may not understand."
Another commissioner's resignation was approved at the July 13 meeting, and two other commissioners have since resigned. Only one person, Marcy Sullivan, remains on the Planning and Zoning Commission.
In Inola, as in many Oklahoma communities, the Planning and Zoning Commission serves as an initial check on proposed development, but ultimate approval power lies with the Town Board of Trustees.
Still, Devers attributes the resignations to community tensions over the Trump administration-backed $4 billion aluminum smelter proposed for the town. He said the Planning and Zoning Commission has served honorably and had a positive impact on Inola.
"Planning and Zoning didn't have anything to do with the smelter other than to confirm that it's properly zoned," Devers said.
Devers said the Inola Board of Trustees will review applications from residents interested in serving on the commission. He said they've had difficulty filling these roles in the past but already received several applications.
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