Decision made for Troy's planning commission

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Leaders in Troy came together at the city council meeting on Thursday to vote on the mayor’s proposal to replace the current planning commission, also known as local law three. NEWS10 was at the meeting that decided the fate of the mayor’s request.

The mayor appoints their planning commission, and whether you call it a commission or a board, it’s up to the mayor who gets the jobs. “We want to see projects move forward we want to see them go move forward within the guidelines in the purview of the planning commission,” said Mayor Carmella Mantello.

The problem, per Mantello’s opposition, is that the current commission is completing their term and city council democrats feel this is a politically motivated move. “It's a political maneuver on her part she could have just done it she did not have to slander people in the process,” said City Council President Sue Steele.

Many folks at the meeting rejected the mayors’ plans, saying that the commission should be able to work their term. “You can be heroes tonight and saving the planning commission. You really could,” said a Troy resident.

“Someone said something about trust her, and you know what I do trust this Administration. I do trust this counsel. Trust is what I am based on, what I know. And I trust the council and I trust the administration to do what's wrong,” said another Troy resident.

“I understand as do my fellow commissioners that a new administration wants to appoint its own people, both parties do it. But that can be done simply by not ending someone's term and replacing them with appointments,” said planning commissioner Suzanne Spellen.

Yet, the mayor says she feels there is pushback from the current commissioners, “One of the commission members actually called a color of the building icky I want you to change the color of that shade of brown You know that's outside of the planning commission's purview.”

However, Steele says there must be checks and balances in city leadership, “Unfortunately, at this moment in time there are none. It is a one-woman rule in the city.”

In a four to three vote local law three passes. The mayor tells NEWS10 that she will have a new commission in place by September.