04/08/2020- Perhaps the most notable topic at this week’s Marinette County Development Committee meeting is what the Committee didn’t talk about. The original agenda listed a public hearing on rezoning requests for two parcels of land in the Town of Athelstane, as well as discussion and possible action on those requests. However, at the start of the meeting, Supervisor Bob Holley, who joined several other Committee members in attending the meeting via phone, moved those items be nixed from the agenda, calling it “irresponsible” of the county to ask the public to show up for that type of discussion under state orders telling people to avoid large or unnecessary gatherings.
But, County Administrator John Lefebvre contends the public did have the opportunity to submit comments in writing and he stressed that the Committee has a responsibility to act on the request within the statutory guidelines.
Ultimately, the Committee voted to postpone the public hearing and any related action on the rezoning request. Depending on the exact deadline for a response from the County, that move could force the Committee to hold a special meeting to act on it in the coming months.