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Bartlett mulls merging planning, zoning boards

The work of Bartlett's plan commission and zoning board involves a level of local-government scrutiny most residents rarely consider.

But when Village President Kevin Wallace suggested consolidating the two panels for efficiency, those who serve or have served on either were stirred to action.

Wallace said he became concerned by low attendance among zoning board members and the effect that has had on the time frame for some project approvals.

Under the Illinois Open Meetings Act, a meeting cannot occur unless a minimum number of board members are in attendance.

But present and past members of the recommending panels - many of whom have served for decades - said such a consolidation was unfair to them and would shortchange the scrutiny the village gives building projects.

"What's wrong with keeping it as it is?" asked Zoning Board Member George Koziol.

Zoning Board Chairman Mike Werden, who's served for 38 years, conceded that attendance has been an issue for his panel for nearly 20 years. But he felt encouraging more membership and better attendance was the answer.

"You need to have dedicated people," he told Wallace.

While the plan commission's task is to review new projects in their entirety, the zoning board considers variances to existing codes when they're requested.

The zoning board currently has five members out of a possible seven, while the plan commission has nine members of a possible 11.

Wallace said he recently interviewed enough people to fill both panels, but still wondered if his earlier consolidation idea was a better solution.

"I believe it's been solved but I wanted to hear what the rest of the board had to say," he said.

Trustee Aaron Reinke said he preferred consolidation, though he hoped reduction of overall seats wouldn't seem personal to current members.

"It's a one-stop shop for professional developers," Reinke said. "It sends a very strong message to the development community."

Trustee Michael Camerer agreed that there's a current perception that it's hard to get projects done in Bartlett.

"I would like to see that change," Camerer said.

But Trustee Raymond Deyne, a former chairman of the plan commission, said consolidation would be an insult to both the project review process and its members that he would never support.

"We currently have a process and the process is working," Deyne said. "I feel like this is a slap in the face to the commissioners that currently serve this village."

Wallace agreed to take his idea back to the drawing board before bringing it back to the village board's committee of the whole.

Bartlett Village Trustee Raymond Deyne
Bartlett Village Trustee Aaron Reinke
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