JCC Supes Split on New Planning Commissioner

By Desiree Parker Wednesday, August 11, 2010

James City County supervisors chose Kingsmill Executive Director for Operations and Community Services Tim O’Connor as the new at-large planning commissioner Tuesday evening by a vote of 3 to 2.

Supervisors were split down party lines, as they were over the replacement for the Powhatan district commission seat in January. O’Connor was not on the list of planning commission applicants as of early June.

O’Connor is a resident of the Stonehouse district, and a neighbor of Board Chairman Jim Kennedy, though Kennedy says he hasn’t gotten a chance to get to know O’Connor very well yet.

Kennedy says O’Connor is a former chef, and “he’s a good guy, honest, hard-working… I think people will be impressed.” O’Connor has four young children.

Kennedy says he pushed for a new commissioner from Stonehouse. “I was disappointed the vote wasn’t unanimous,” he says.

O’Connor “is not predisposed to any position,” according to Kennedy. “He will look at a case and applications with an open mind.”

Supervisors John McGlennon and Jim Icenhour voted against O’Connor’s appointment. McGlennon says he was looking for certain criteria when it came to choosing a new commissioner which included “an ability to be active participant from the first day, a strong background in planning, and no connection with the development community.”