Warren City Council, mayor continue to spar over reappointments

WARREN —​​ The Warren City Council and Mayor Lori Stone continue to spar over reappointments to city commissions.

At the City Council’s March 10 meeting, council members voted to table the reappointment of Michael Holowaty to the Warren Planning Commission.

The commission currently has seven members, though it’s supposed to have nine.

Before the discussion began, during the public comment portion of the meeting, Holowaty said he looks forward to hopefully being reappointed.

“I want to thank the mayor for her reappointment and if I am approved tonight, I just promise to serve the citizens and the city to the best of my abilities,” he said.

The discussion was started by Councilman Johnathan Lafferty, who has brought the issue up at previous meetings.

“A couple of meetings ago, I spoke about the Planning Commission, its membership and the expired terms that are still present and these members still serving,” he said.

According to Lafferty, three other members of the commission, who had terms expire in 2022 and in 2023, are still serving.

“This is a misplaced priority in sending an appointment to the City Council that has not yet expired, when there are three other appointments that should have been sent to the Council office ahead of this one,” he said.

Stone has previously — and currently — said this comes from the lack of a process being in place when she took office.

“Walking in Day 1, there were no documents left for my administration as part of the transition,” she said. “So sitting down with my team, I had one of my staff members who has really spearheaded collecting all the documents, figuring out who is on commissions, rosters, contact information, when term limits are.”

Stone said her priority is to keep commissions moving forward.

“We dedicated a certain amount consistently to moving commissions along, making, taking interviews and making appointments,” she said. “However, we’ve got to keep things moving.”

Stone added that her records don’t show anyone with term limits expiring in 2022 or 2023 but said she would be happy to look into it if the City Council requested it.

Council Secretary Mindy Moore said commissioners with expired terms need to be reappointed or replaced.

“That’s a problem, where we have people that expired in 2022 that are not being reappointed,” she said. “Obviously they aren’t going to be reappointed, and there’s no intention to reappoint them, or they would have been.”

Moore said the appointments will need to be done before a new mayor takes over in 2027, and to not have them filled will be a violation of state law and a violation of the city charter, which is a misdemeanor and comes with a $500 fine.

Stone said Moore has never reached out to her office to raise concerns about any individual appointees who are serving.

“I can’t speculate who she’s referencing or what it’s based on,” Stone said. “I can’t answer a question I haven’t been asked.”

Despite the reappointment being tabled, Holowaty will be able to continue serving on the Planning Commission, as stated in the Planning Enabling Act in the city’s charter, Moore said.

Moore added that Holowaty is doing a “fabulous job.”

Councilman Henry Newnan also voiced his support for Holowaty.

“I really value your volunteer service. I know you get a stipend, but I don’t think you’re working for the stipend,” he said, addressing Holowaty at the meeting.

This wasn’t the first time the City Council has voted to table a commission appointment sent by Stone. In February, council members voted to table the reappointment of Natalie Piernak, the chair of the city’s Library Commission.

However, unlike Piernak’s appointment, which does not require City Council approval, Holowaty’s does, according to Jeff Schroeder, the attorney hired by City Council.

“This is an appointment under what would be state law in the charter where Council has to actually approve the appointment,” he said. “So Council’s approval is necessary.”

The motion to table Holowaty’s reappointment indefinitely passed 5-2. Newnan and Councilwoman Melody Magee were the only two who voted against it.

Both Moore and Stone asked that more residents consider applying for positions on different boards and commissions. However, Stone said she understands that people may have a hard time wanting to apply after seeing reappointments “politicized.”

“I find it bothersome that community volunteers are being poorly treated because it makes it more difficult to fill open positions, meet quorum and make sure community voices are being heard in places of decision-making, advice and guidance for the impact of policy, ordinances and the activities of the community, the local government,” Stone said.

If reappointed, Holowaty’s term would expire June 30, 2029. Despite his reappointment being tabled, Holowaty can continue to serve on the Planning Commission.

Stone said Piernak has continued to serve on the Library Commission, and she expects her reappointment to come before the City Council again at its next meeting.