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Esky’s zoning administrator resigns after budget meeting

ESCANABA — Escanaba Zoning Administrator Tyler Anthony resigned Wednesday, effective immediately.

The morning resignation followed the first of several meetings the city will have about its budget process. During that meeting, Anthony requested an additional full-time staff member for the planning and zoning department and to explore the purchase of new permitting software to replace software Anthony described as “user hostile.” Neither request was well-received by the city’s council.

“Given the last two years of experience I’ve had in the department, it has become starkly clear that the amount of work to be done far exceeds the capacity of any one person. I wear many hats, as my roles include those of permit clerk, meeting parliamentarian, planning director, graphic designer, ordinance writer, librarian, historian, grant administrator, zoning enforcement officer and so many more. Escanaba’s planning and preservation programs cannot be borne by any one person. At the very least, the department needs another full-time staff member,” Anthony told the council during Tuesday’s meeting.

The council questioned Anthony’s use of an assistant whose time is split between departments. Anthony told the council about 20% of the employee’s time was spent on planning and zoning, however, it was revealed by administration that the position was supposed to be 75% planning and zoning. Anthony expressed he did not know that much of the employee’s time was supposed to be spent in his department and said he felt that he was being “kept in the dark.”

The council balked changes to the city’s permitting software for a number of reasons, including that the existing software was a module of the city’s BS&A Software package. BS&A’s programs are widely-used by municipalities across the country and are designed to allow multiple city departments to share data.

The city purchased the planning and zoning software a few years ago when it was recommended to help the city meet Redevelopment Ready Communities certification requirements. That purchase took place before Anthony became the city’s zoning administrator.

Anthony’s exit comes at a busy time for the city’s land use planning programs. A master plan revision is pending, and according to statements made by Anthony Tuesday, a new zoning ordinance was next on the agenda.

In addition, planning and zoning was the city department overseeing historic preservation projects, including the proposed Ogden Triangle Historic District.

According to City Manager Jim McNeil, the city will post the zoning administrator position and begin the search for Anthony’s replacement.

“(Anthony’s) a sharp guy, and I think he has a lot that he can do in his career, so I’m just excited to see what that might be for him,” said McNeil.

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