Rosenow appointed to P&Z unanimously after Potter fails to get majority

Potter vote failed 2-3

Rosenow appointed 5-0

MANDEVILLE — The City Council unanimously appointed Judge Pat Rosenow to a vacant seat on the Planning & Zoning Commission tonight (December 19th). This meeting was a stark contrast to the recent meetings where the matter of appointment was debated with rancor.

As anticipated, the nominating committee, comprising Councilman at Large Scott Discon and District I Councilwoman Cynthia Strong-Thompson, first nominated Shawn Potter. After a lengthy discussion and public comment, Potter’s appointment was rejected with a vote of 2-3, with only Discon and Strong-Thompson in favor.

In accordance with council rules, Strong-Thompson and Discon presented a second nomination, this time for Judge Pat Rosenow. Following a brief discussion, the council unanimously approved his appointment to the vacant seat.

Potter had been nominated by the committee at the October 24th council meeting, but at the November 21st meeting, the council opted to nullify that nomination at the urging of the city attorney due to an Open Meetings Law violation.

The nominating committee met December 5th to re-deliberate in public. No nominee was announced at the meeting, although City Attorney Elizabeth Sconzert indicated at the November 21st council meeting that she expected Potter to be nominated again.

The council had three applicants for the position: Ernest Burguières, a local attorney and former council member with regional planning expertise; Shawn Potter, Tulane University’s director of institutional research; and Judge Pat Rosenow, a chief administrative law judge with the U.S. Department of Labor.

The council chambers were predominantly filled with locals who had come to express their opinions on the matter. Twelve individuals spoke in favor of Rosenow, while a several advocated for Potter and Burguières.

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