Bly and Johnson Step Up for Spots on Planning Commission

WAITSBURG - Establishing a quorum at Waitsburg planning commission meetings may soon become a bit easier. Uniquely qualified Waitsburg residents Stan Bly and Larry Johnson have each applied to fill two currently vacant seats on the board. Approval of the applicants is on the agenda for Wednesday night’s city council meeting.

The six-position planning commission is chaired by William Potolochio and made up of commission members K.C. Kuykendall, who is also a city council member; Karen Gregutt; and Marie Gagnon. Bart Baxter recently resigned his seat, and a sixth spot has been vacant for an extended period.

At least three members, besides the chair, are required at meetings in order to establish a quorum - an event that failed to take place at the first scheduled public hearing, in December, on the recently proposed Whoopemup Meadows subdivision. That hearing was rescheduled and took place Jan.12.

Bly sees the proposed 114-unit development, which would be built on 42 acres in the northeast corner of the city, as a potential asset to the community and is eager to be a part of trying to make that happen. “I’m looking forward to it. I really hope it goes through for the folks. It will be a good thing for Waitsburg,” he said.

Bly grew up and graduated from high school in Prescott and has lived with his wife and two children in Waitsburg for 16 years. He owns and operates Bly Plumbing. As a licensed journeyman plumber he has worked on water, sewer and utilities for multiple subdivisions in Walla Walla. “I know those types of things – what works and what doesn’t,” he said.

Bly attended the Jan. 12 public hearing on the Whoopemup Meadows proposal and expressed understanding of Warren Land Company’s frustration at the uncertainty over who owns the utility lines – the city or the Port of Walla Walla – that the proposed development will need to access.

“Let’s figure out who owns what and don’t make them spend another dime until we do,” Bly said. “Then we can go from there.”

Johnson has lived in Waitsburg since 2002 and, with his wife Deanne, is the reigning Commercial Club Citizen of the Year. He was a city council board member when the Whoopemup Meadows property, then owned by Andy and Camille McElhinney, was originally annexed into the city and zoned to residential property in 2006 and 2007. “Those weren’t always pretty years,” he said.

Johnson brings to the table years of relevant experience gleaned from his career as a registered land surveyor and civil engineer. “I have a good understanding of what needs to happen. I have a background in that sort of thing and I feel comfortable with it,” said Johnson.

Johnson said he felt the planning commission handled the discrepancy over the utility line ownership as well as they could have at last week’s meeting. “Those types of things do come up in the permitting process. Permitting is for public input and all kinds of agencies can get involved,” he said. “You have to satisfy them if they have regulative authority. It’s a matter of working out those details -- sometimes they work out and sometimes they don’t.”

The city council will have the opportunity to appoint Bly and Johnson to the planning commission board at the upcoming Jan. 21 council meeting. As The Times went to press Tuesday afternoon, no other applications had been received for the two open positions.