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The election of a Sedalia planning board member will take the town in a direction it hasn’t been.

Shinita Wrenwick vows to serve on both the planning board and the town council unless it becomes “too much.”

“If I get overwhelmed, I will submit my resignation — to the planning board,” Wrenwick said after the Nov. 19 planning board meeting.

Mayor Howard J. Morgan explained during the meeting that if Wrenwick felt up to taking on both positions, it is legal for her to do so.

“In a seminar with the League of Municipalities, we were told that an elected official can serve on two boards,” Morgan said.

While this has never been done in the 12 years the town of Sedalia has been incorporated, Morgan said he is not concerned.

“I think if she wants to handle both, it’s up to her,” he said.
Wrenwick’s service on both boards can create conflict if more than one council member shows up to the planning board meeting.

By law, no more than three of the town’s council members can be present at town meeting unless the public has been properly notified.

Because the town council consists of five members, three members present make a quorum, which means business can be discussed and votes can be made.

Wrenwick is one of four members of the town’s planning board.
Under the town’s current ordinances, a full planning board has five members and three alternates.

In addition to the four members, there are currently two alternates.

The town council is currently seeking to fill both the alternate and full member seats on the board.

Town resident Keith Carter made an unsuccessful run for a town council seat and addressed the planning board during the meeting to express his interest in becoming a member.

“I used to do a fair amount of community service and I want to get back into it,” he told the board

After a discussion among the board, the board voted unanimously to recommend that the town council appoint Carter as a full member of the planning board.

The town council will vote on whether or not to appoint Carter in the Dec. 7 meeting.

Contact Tiffany S. Jones at 373-7157 or tiffany.jones@news-record.com