The Shawnee City Council this week declined to reappoint a long-serving Shawnee Planning Commission member, citing most notably concerns about alleged “electioneering” during a public meeting in the past.
What happened?
- On Monday, the city council was set to reappoint a slate of volunteers for additional service on the planning commission and the Shawnee Board of Zoning Appeals. Altogether, there were six candidates seeking reappointment, two to the zoning appeals board and four to the planning commission.
- Councilmember Tony Gillette asked to have long-time planning commissioner Alan Willoughby removed from the slate of candidates for a separate discussion. This motion caused some temporary procedural confusion.
- Later, a motion not to reappoint Willoughby passed 6-1. Mayor Michelle Distler and Councilmember Tammy Thomas were absent. Councilmember Jill Chalfie was the single “no” vote.
- Willoughby’s current term on the planning commission ends June 30.
How does reappointment usually work?
- Appointments and reappointments are a normal process required for all of the city’s volunteer boards and commissions.
- Each term is limited in length, but these volunteers can and often are reappointed without much public discussion.
- Ordinarily, the mayor makes a recommendation for appointment or reappointment after an individual has applied.
- Then, the city council is asked to sign off in a formal vote. It remains the council’s right to decide how to vote, per city council policy.
- This week, the council did unanimously approve the other proposed reappointments to the planning commission and board of zoning appeals.
Councilmembers allege past “electioneering”
In opting not to reappoint Willoughby, the only specific example cited came from Councilmember Mike Kemmling, who pointed out that Willoughby wore a T-shirt on the dais in a public meeting advocating for a “Yes” vote on the 2019 special election.
Kemmling and Council President Eric Jenkins both called Willoughy’s wearing of the T-shirt “electioneering.”
“I felt like that was something that was not becoming of a planning commissioner, and so I would be in favor of not reappointing,” Kemmling said.
That special election in 2019 would have set forth financing for a community center in western Shawnee, but 72% of voters rejected the measure.
Kemmling cited other reasons for not reappointing Willoughby but did not specify what those were.
Gillette, too, when asked Tuesday by the Post, didn’t mention specific examples or reasons but called Willoughby’s choice to wear the T-shirt a “no-no.”
Willoughby was reappointed in 2020 — after he wore the T-shirt and also after the community center vote had failed. In Monday’s discussion, the council did not address why Willoughby’s behavior roughly four years ago was only now leading to the decision not to reappoint him.
Jenkins alluded to previous conversations the council has had about removing planning commissioners for voicing political opinions in their public roles, but he said they decided to wait until volunteers were up for reappointment. In doing so, the city council voted against reappointing Willoughby instead of exercising its policy to remove him from the planning commission before his term ended.
“The decision was made just to stand by and look forward to the opportunity, the time for reappointment, and that time is here today,” he said.
(Find the discussion on appointments here, beginning around 1:07:30)
Willoughby was shocked by the decision
Willoughby, who has served on the planning commission continuously for about a decade and was most recently reappointed in 2020, admitted to the Post he wore a pro-community center T-shirt ahead of the special election in 2019.
He said he doesn’t remember anyone telling him at the time it was a problem but was aware some councilmembers had a problem with him.
Willoughby said he has also, as a private citizen, supported candidates for various offices, including some Shawnee City Council challengers.
Still, he was shocked to hear what the councilmembers were saying about him on Monday. Willoughby, who was present at the meeting, said he and other volunteers up for reappointment were asked by the city to attend.
“I was saddened and frustrated that it had come to that,” he said.
He said he also felt they were calling into question his community service and his overall good citizenship. Willoughby, a military veteran and retired engineer, also serves on the Shawnee Sister City Committee and is a member of multiple civic organizations.
Kemmling and Willoughby have been at odds before
Kemmling and Willoughby were opponents in the 2013 city council race for a Ward 2 seat.
Kemmling went on to win the seat, unseating Willoughby who had previously been appointed to the office in order to fill a vacancy.
On Monday, Kemmling said he had not wanted to appoint Willoughby to the planning commission 10 years ago and stood against his previous reappointments.
There was one dissenting vote
Chalfie did not speak during the discussion Monday but told the Post later in a written statement, “It is disappointing to have a volunteer commissioner who wishes to continue their service to our community denied that opportunity.”
She said she found the decision not to affirm his reappointment to be based on “questionable reasoning” and was concerned it was based on “a personal disagreement.”’
“If the council (or individual appointing councilmember in some cases) wish to choose another candidate, the least we can do is let them know and thank them for their service,” she continued, referencing past instances where candidates might have been “blindsided” by a decision not to reappoint them.
Other recent Shawnee City Council news: Shawnee’s scaled-down Midland Drive upgrades move forward
