The recent passing of long time Mammoth Planning Commissioner Roy Saari left an empty seat to fill. At a recent special meeting, the Mammoth Town Council interviewed eight candidates and selected Sharon Clark for the position, though not without some contention. Two of the five council members had wanted to appoint former council member Kirk Stapp to the planning commission.

The eight candidates for the commission were Warren Harrell, Tom Moody, John Vereuck, Marshall Minobe, Corinna Korpi, Leigh Gaasch, Kirk Stapp and Sharon Clark.

Council members John Eastman and Neil McCarroll wanted Stapp, while Jo Bacon, Skip Harvey and Wendy Sugimura voted to approve Sharon Clark.

john_eastman.jpgAccording to her application to the Planning Commission, Clark moved to Mammoth in 2004, and was a Planning Commissioner for 14 years in Hamilton County, Indiana, and also worked as a liaison to the Planning Commission in Carmel. Since moving to Mammoth, Clark has worked with the CERT team, the MLTPA, Mammoth Nordic, Friends of the Library, the Hospital Auxiliary and other groups.

Councilmember John Eastman says that he doesnt feel the appointment of Clark was based on the interviews. Both Kirk Stapp, who served on council for 22 years and Public Arts Commissioner Warren Harrel gave excellent interviews, he says. Eastman explained that he thought the appointment was clearly a political decision, adding that the other council members had made up their minds on the appointment before the interviews.

Eastman explained that Stapp was clearly up to speed, on planning issues to a greater degree then Clark.

In the end, he and McCarrol were out voted three to two. Eastman accepted the decision saying, thats what happens.

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