P&Z moves forward

By Mindy Honey
Society Editor

GALENA — The Stone County Commission this week appointed members to the planning and zoning board, as well as the board of adjustments, the next step in moving forward with planning and zoning in the county.

“We are excited to get started,” said Joy Wilson, planning and zoning director. “Part of that is getting everybody in place so we can get started.”

Planning and zoning has been an issue for Stone County since last year when a judge declared that zoning districts were not established properly following a six-year lawsuit.

Stone County voters gave their approval to move forward with planning and zoning on Aug. 4.

Appointed to the board of adjustments were Richard Erickson, of Blue Eye, Gaila Limeberry, of Nixa, and Joyce Bradford, of Galena.

Appointed to the planning and zoning board were Gary Fuqua, who will represent Sunset Cove precinct, Jeff Sims, who will represent Ruth C Rural precinct, Don Richardson, of the Ruth B Rural precinct, James Brockett, of the Pine A precinct and Marti Bane, of the Hurley precinct.

The commission chose the board members and made the announcement Thursday afternoon.

A total of 16 people applied for the positions.

“We will be swearing the board members in Thursday at 1 p.m.,” Wilson said.

The exact location of the swearing-in ceremony was unclear on Friday, but Wilson said it would be somewhere in the courthouse.

The boards meet the first Tuesday of every month, with their first meeting Oct. 6. The board of adjustments meet at 6 p.m. with planning and zoning following at 7:30 p.m. The boards meet in the annex building of the courthouse in Galena.

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