San Benito County Board of Supervisors decided in a closed
session Tuesday to remove Commissioner Dennis Madigan from the
county’s planning commission.
”
The board voted to terminate the commissioner’s term effective
immediately,
”
said County Counsel Karen Forcum.
San Benito County Board of Supervisors decided in a closed session Tuesday to remove Commissioner Dennis Madigan from the county’s planning commission.
“The board voted to terminate the commissioner’s term effective immediately,” said County Counsel Karen Forcum.
It was reported the removal was based on philosophical differences and disagreement with policy matters between Board members, she said.
Madigan was new to the planning commission, appointed in January by Supervisor Reb Monaco.
Deliberations as to whether to terminate Madigan began during a special meeting held last week, culminating with Tuesday’s decision, Monaco said.
“There were several misunderstandings on his part as to his role on the planning commission,” Monaco said. “He stepped out of bounds of that role.”
Madigan’s role was to assist other planning commissioners in making decisions dealing with planning and developing in San Benito County, Planning Commission Chairman Joe Tonascia said.
“The Supervisors must have had their reasoning for doing it,” Tonascia said. “I thought Denny was doing a good job.”
Madigan overstepped his bounds when he began dealing personally with complaints he received, when the proper course of action would have been relinquishing the complaints to his supervisor, Monaco said. While he did sometimes turn the complaints over, his track record was “spotty,” Monaco said.
“He was overzealous in handling them himself,” he said.
Madigan was unavailable for comment.
Monaco also referenced the advertisement Madigan ran in the Sept. 3 issue of the Free Lance, asking citizens for any advice or direction they would like to see the Planning Commission follow, or any grievances or suggestions to improve the planning process within the county. The Board did not approve of the course of action on Madigan’s part.
Supervisors voted 4-1 to remove Madigan. Monaco was the dissenting vote.
“I thought there was a possibility of a severe reprimand, but the Board did not agree,” Monaco said. “It’s tough for me, because he’s a personal friend of mine.”
Monaco hopes Madigan will stay active in the community and doesn’t take the decision as an indication that the county is against him or that it is part of a conspiracy, he said. The situation, although an uncomfortable one, has been a learning experience for everyone involved, Monaco said.
“He has a lot to offer, he just didn’t understand completely what his role was,” he said.
The open position leaves Monaco with the responsibility of appointing another planning commissioner.
“I’ve approached some people, but there are not a lot of people who would relish being a planning commissioner,” he said. “It’s a thankless job, and I do feel under pressure to find someone.”
Monaco hopes to have someone in place by the Board’s next meeting on Sept. 23, he said.
