Letter strikes
sour chord with McCord
By Nick Bert

THE HAVANA HERALD

Growth Management Director Bill McCord seemed more than a little annoyed at a letter questioning his allegiance to the Planning & Zoning Commission at Thursday’s meeting in Quincy.
The letter, written by citizen watchdog Richard Thompson of Havana on April 27, said McCord was insubordinate and ignored the P&Z Commission’s wishes to hold public workshops concerning Comprehensive Plan amendments. McCord presented those amendments to the county commission for its consideration without public input, the letter said.
McCord said the letter advocated that his actions were inappropriate and insubordinate. “We won’t always agree,” he told board members, “but I’m not insubordinate.” McCord said he didn’t try to hide anything or go around the Planning Commission. “I told you what my intentions were,” he said.
The amendments listed by Thompson included changes to the Future Land Use element, the Housing Element and Infrastructure Element.
“It should come as no surprise that the Department of Growth Management Director, Bill McCord, has kept his threat to defy and by-pass, for the second time, the Planning Commission’s motion for these amendments to be heard in a workshop,” wrote Thompson. “The failure of Mr. McCord to carry out the instruction of the Planning Commission might be considered as insubordination.”
At the May 2 county commission meeting, several P&Z board members also questioned McCord’s actions. The members wanted a workshop to address, among other things, two new land use categories: high density and mixed density.
P&Z member Larry Ganous said McCord didn’t agree with the P&Z workshop and went ahead and brought the issues to the county commission before the P&Z Board made a recommendation.
Thompson also scathed the county commission for giving McCord “tacit approval” to “run the Planning Commission anyway he sees fit.” He said it makes a mockery of the Planning Commission and raises the question of the county commission’s intent to abolish this commission and designate themselves as the local planning agency.
At the May 2 meeting, the county commission voted to send the text amendments back to the Planning Board for recommendations. A special meeting on the amendments will be held Monday, May 22.