Bill Willers resigns from Sonoma Planning Commission

Bill Willers, longtime Sonoma Planning Commission member, tendered his resignation today in a letter to Mayor Hundley and the City Council. In it he explained the reasons for his resignation, saying, “…the current deliberation and directions taken by the City Council regarding the future appointment of Commissioners is not something I can support or wish to be a part of. I applied as a commissioner with our community’s interests in mind and to serve our community as a whole. I do not support the idea of becoming a Councilperson’s ” selected commissioner” and everything that this would imply, intended or not.”

His letter continues, “I also believe this is a very unhealthy direction for our City government to take, and I believe it will lead to the interests of individuals rather than those of the community being served. I will not support the politicization of the Planning Commission’s decision-making process. Our community’s future should be shaped by the citizens of Sonoma, not by a few individuals who can afford to guarantee that their interests are served through the political process. It has been a privilege to serve the City of Sonoma as a Planning Commissioner.”

Willers joins Chip Roberson, who also resigned recently from the Planning Commission, which now numbers only four regular members instead of its usual seven. The composition of the commission has been undergoing review by the City Council, and the latest conceptual iteration is for each member of the council to appoint a member to each commission rather than a nomination by the Mayor and ratification by the council.