The P&Z removals
FACT: Three sitting Planning & Zoning commissioners, each with a term running to May 2027, came off the commission at this meeting: Riley Swanston, Darla Thornton — the commission’s chair, who had just lost the Place 2 council race by 15 votes — and Jordon Collis. They were replaced by Sharon Schmitz, Keith Martin, and Justin Harnick. Russell Laughlin, appointed to the commission only on June 18, was also replaced, by Carl Greer. Source: the committee roster comparison provided by the city administrator, showing the rosters as of June 19 and July 15.
FACT: This came after the appointments had already been settled at the June 18 special session. Between the two meetings, six of the commission’s seven seats changed hands. One member — Dani Briones — kept a seat through both.
FACT: The same roster document shows changes to the Crime Control & Prevention District board as well: Erica Haley replacing Barbara Deakins, and Dawn Martin replacing Justin Harnick as he moved to P&Z.
UNVERIFIED: We have not yet seen the July 14 minutes (they’ll appear in a later agenda packet — expected with the August 11 meeting materials). When they post, the vote counts and any stated reasons go here. We are aware of no cause stated for the removals.
Also on the agenda
FACT: Open-session items included the Shady Oaks site plan drainage study, an alley-drainage engineering contract with Carrillo Engineering (up to $23,000), and review of the FY 2026–27 budget.
FACT: The executive session list included board appointments among other items. The “legal representation of a council member in pending civil litigation” item that appeared on the June agendas was not on the list.
Why it matters
FACT: P&Z takes the first vote on every rezoning request in the village — including any return of the Trinity Terrace rezoning.
OPINION: Removing a commission’s chair mid-term, weeks after she ran against an incumbent, under an agenda item residents had no reason to read as removals, is exactly the kind of item this site exists to watch.
(If you attended and can add what was reported out of executive session, or how the open-session votes went, add it here.)