Pamlico commissioner gives up his spot on planning board in protest

BAYBORO - A Pamlico County commissioner has resigned his position on the county planning board in protest of funding for a consultant.

Carl Ollison quit the planning board this week after his fellow commissioners denied his request to cut $10,000 from the budget for planning funding that includes a consultant to assist the planning board in reviewing building requests.

The county contracts with the Eastern Carolina Council for the planning services, and funded $35,000 for the coming year.

At a special commissioners' session to vote on the budget earlier this week, Ollison wanted to amend the budget to include the $10,000 planning cut. Commissioner Chris Mele of Oriental, who made the motion to approve the $18.1 million spending plan, wouldn't amend her motion to include the cut.

The board then voted 6-1 to approve the budget, with Ollison voting against it.

He said later he felt the planning board did not need a consultant and it was a waste of county money. He added that the $10,000 cut was a compromise on his part, and that he thought he had support of other commissioners. When that support did not surface, he voted against the budget and quit the planning board in protest.

Ollison said the slow building market was another factor in his request not to fund a paid planner.

"It's been so slow we haven't met in two months," he said. "We didn't have anything on our agenda."

The county's budgeted funding for the planner is a sliding-scale number, since the consultant works on a per-hour basis.

Last fiscal year, the county funded $45,000 for the planning services, and County Manager Tim Buck said about $21,000 was paid out.

Each commissioner can nominate a member of the planning board, so Ollison can nominate his successor to represent his district - No. 4 - which includes the Mesic and Vandemere areas. His appointment must be approved by the full board of commissioners.

Ollison said anyone who would be interested in the planning board position should call him at 670-3247.

Commissioners meet again in regular session on Monday at 6 p.m. in the county courthouse.