Residents’ opinions differ from mayor in zoning board appointment

by Hillary Copsey
Senior Staff Writer

More than a dozen Athens residents gathered Friday to protest Mayor Ric Abel’s decision not to reappoint Paul Wiehl to the city’s board of zoning appeals.

Wiehl served on the board, which reviews all construction and development in the city, for six years. When Abel announced last week he would not reappoint Wiehl to the board, some residents wanted to inform the mayor they were unhappy with the decision, said Susan Searles, one of the organizers of the protest.

“People tried calling the mayor, but they weren’t getting any response,” Searles said.

To make their opinions heard, residents congregated in front of the city building Friday afternoon with signs sporting slogans including, “Keep tough zoning. Retain Paul,” and “If Abel were able, he’d keep Paul at the table.”

During the protest, residents tried, unsuccessfully, to obtain a meeting with Abel about the decision. Later, Abel said he would not grant the meeting because, though it was within their rights to protest, he was not reversing his opinion.

“We obviously have philosophical differences,” Abel said. “I’m not going to change my mind. Sometimes people just disagree.”

Abel has not chosen a new appointee for the six-member zoning board.

Though he knew the protest might happen, Wiehl was not at the gathering. He said he knew it was unlikely to sway Abel’s decision, but was glad Athens residents were getting involved in the city’s government.

“I’d like to challenge them all to show up at other meetings — not with me in mind — but just to get involved in the government,” Wiehl said.

But the protesters had concerns other than attending council meetings. Some worried Abel did not reappoint Wiehl for the wrong reasons.

“He’s being ousted mainly because he ran for office,” Athens resident Patricia Lachman said.

When Abel appointed Wiehl in 1995, Wiehl had run unsuccessfully for a council seat. Abel said Wiehl assured him then he would not run again for city council. Yet this fall, Wiehl ran for one of the at-large city council seats and was defeated by Ed Baum, R-at-large.

“It’s everyone’s right to run for office, and it shouldn’t be taken into consideration,” Athens resident Helen Smith said.

When he decided to run for city council, Wiehl said he never thought he might jeopardize his place on the zoning board. He just wanted to give voters more choices on the ballot, he said.

“I look at this as a backlash,” Wiehl said. “I guess it’s not as a casual a thing as it seems to throw your hat in the ring.”

Other residents also said Abel failed to keep Wiehl on the board because Wiehl is too opinionated — a reason they do not feel is sufficient.

Wiehl will continue to represent the West Side Neighborhood Association on the steering committee for the city’s comprehensive plan.