By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The Barton County Planning and Zoning Commission has another new face. Just days after the Barton County Commission appointed Dr. Dan Witt for one of three board vacancies, he resigned from his new position due to other contractual obligations. Commissioner Barb Esfeld made a motion to appoint Shane Suchy for the ensuing vacancy, and Commissioner Tricia Schlessiger explained why she nominated Junior Welsch for the role.
"I feel like the Planning and Zoning Commission should have a strong agricultural presence on it because those are the people that actually have to live and abide by the Planning and Zoning Commission rules and regulations," Schlessiger said. "Although all three of these applicants do live inside Great Bend, I feel like Junior has a stronger connection with agriculture with his job and maybe what he does for the community."
Commission Chair Shawn Hutchinson pointed out Welsch is also a former Great Bend City Councilmember. Esfeld explained that Suchy also has experience because of his construction business. The commission voted 4-1 to appoint Welsch to the role, with Esfeld as the "nay" vote.
Witt said he applied to be on the planning commission to help stop the large-scale solar operation that may be coming to the county. But has teaching obligations at the new Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine in downtown Wichita.
"It's not very often than an 83-year-old retiring doc gets invited to teach at a brand new medical school that's the first new medical school in Kansas since 1905," he told the commission."
The Barton County Planning Commission has changed its monthly meeting time to the second Thursday of each month. Those take place in the conference room at the Barton County Courthouse at 9 a.m., with the next meeting scheduled for April 13.