PLANNING COMMISSION PICKS ASHLEY MATHEWS IN FULL AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS

Wake Up Bainbridge has confirmed from multiple sources close to the process that the next Bainbridge Island Planning Commissioner will be Ashley Mathews. This is the vacant position 3.

Mathews was last in the news when she asked the City Council to override the Planning Commission's appointment process and choose her instead. Mathews had not submitted an application for the position but had reached out to Council members to tell her she deserved to be there.

This all happened after the Planning Commission had already made the choice to place former City Councilwoman Sarah Blossom on the Planning Commission. Blossom had already gone though the entire appointment process which included submitting an application before the deadline and sitting for an interview.

When another seat opened up upon the resignation of Commissioner Don Doman, Mathews and 19 other applicants including a former Planning Commissioner for the City of Seattle submitted applications.

In this go around, changes were made to the process which hope to make it more equitable.

The seat that Ashley Mathews fills is up for re-selection in June of 2021. This will be a great opportunity to see how the Planning Commission proceeds with a new member and if Mathews will be able to make the impact she has talked about bringing to Bainbridge Island.

Ashley Mathews also applied for the South Ward City Council seat that was left open when Matthew Tirman resigned last February siting personal reasons. Little did he know COVID-19 was around the corner and would change the way the City Council met and operated. Current Councilwoman Christy Carr was picked in an appointment process.

You can see Councilwoman Christy Carr's exclusive interview with Wake Up Bainbridge here:

Video: https://fb.watch/1SE-A6X6oi/

Stay tuned and stay woke!