SWAC discusses meeting quarterly instead of monthly

(by Dedra Cordle, staff writer - July 02, 2012)

A change in meeting schedule is proposed for the Southwest Area Commission (SWAC).

At the June 20 meeting, the commission proposed amending its bylaws to hold meetings quarterly rather than monthly.

SWAC Chair Stefanie Coe said this change would allow the commission to spend more time attending city of Columbus meetings, talking to officials and addressing problems in the Southwest area.

The meetings would be held the third Wednesday in August, November, February and May.

Special meetings would be held if there were a zoning, graphics or special application on the agenda 10 days prior to when the meeting would normally take place.

While the other commissioners expressed interest in change, resident Don Parsons did not.

“There are dire needs and bad conditions in the area and we can’t afford to see (the meetings) cut to quarterly,” he said.

Parsons said there are “severe pollution problems” in the Southwest area and the commission should schedule meetings twice a month to address all of the issues.

Parsons also said the SWAC is “pulling away from the public” by decreasing the number of meetings per year.

Coe said the change would allow commissioners more time to interact with city leaders who could fix the issues Parsons mentioned.

If passed, the change would happen after the Aug. 15 meeting.

The commission will vote on the proposed amendment at 7 p.m. on July 18 at the New Horizons United Methodist Church, 1665 Harrisburg Pike.

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