Nance and Ryan Selected for Redding Planning Commission but only after Strong Statements from Two Council members

On Tuesday, April 15, Council member Erin Resner issued a “call to action” saying she would support Redding Mayor Jack Munns’ appointees for the Planning Commission but wished more people had submitted applications for the role. 

“If you care about the direction of our city,” Resner said, phoning in from a remote location, “If you’ve ever thought about serving, now is the time. Please consider applying for a board or commission. Our town truly works best when a variety of voices are at the table.”

At the last, April 1, Council meeting, Erin Resner and other Council members soundly rejected Munns’ suggestions for appointments to the Planning Commission. At the time, Resner said she wasn’t opposed to replacing Commissioners Aaron Hatch and Brandi Greene – whose terms end on April 30 – but wanted Munns to bring forward applicants who could offer a similar diversity of viewpoints as those two.

The Planning Commission is a state-mandated advisory body that provides recommendations to the City Council on land management issues. Redding is currently working to update one of the City’s foundational land management planning documents known as the Riverside Specific Plan, which will provide legal guidance for how some of the area’s most cherished public land, situated along the Sacramento River, could be developed. Planning Commissioners are expected to weigh in on that process later this year. Both Hatch and Greene have a vested interest in protecting and preserving parks and open space. Until recently, Hatch served on the Shasta Land Trust while Greene is an environmental scientist and grape farmer.

Munns did not follow Resner’s advice, instead bringing back Blake Nance, one of the same two individuals he had unsuccessfully asked the Council to appoint last time. Nance is a former Beverly Hills police officer and current event security consultant. When it came to the second suggested appointee Munns switched things up by dropping builder and developer Joshua Johnson and suggesting Erin Ryan, the treasurer of the Shasta County Republican Central Committee. Neither Nance nor Ryan has ever attended a Planning Commission meeting.  

At Tuesday’s meeting Munns reiterated his support for Nance’s appointment, who he said has extensive experience in event planning related to his consulting work for Dick Clark productions. He has not provided the public with any information on why he chose Ryan for the role. 

Public speakers on the Planning Commissioner appointment this week included the Redding Rancheria’s Governmental Affairs manager Lane Rickard and Moms for Liberty Chair Leslie Sawyer, both of whom supported Munns’ choice of the politically-connected Ryan for the role. Two other speakers, including political activist Benjamin Nowain, opposed the appointments.

During Council discussion Tuesday night, Resner said she’d decided to support Munns’ candidates before responding strongly to the an accusation received by email calling her push for diverse perspectives on the Commission a “DEI move”.

“Let me be clear,” Resner said, speaking slowly and decisively as if reading from a pre-written statement, “seeking diversity of perspectives is not about checking a box. It’s not about appointing someone simply because they’re a woman or because of the color of their skin. It’s about recognizing that different life experiences, professions and viewpoints contribute to more balanced and thoughtful decision making.”

“I will not be swayed by peer pressure or intimidation tactics,” Resner continued, before being interrupted by a loud chuckle from Munns.

Council member Mike Littau, who abstained from the Council’s vote on the topic last week because it “felt political,” used his comments to the media last week to push for a comproise, suggesting Munns should bring forward one of his previous choices for Commissioner along with either Hatch and Greene as a “fair deal” for everyone.

On Tuesday Littau folded on that demand, saying he had decided that he didn’t want to set a precedent of not supporting mayoral suggestions for appointments. He asked Munns to promise that if the Council approved the Mayor’s suggested appointments this time, Munns would support those of others in future.

“If we brought forward a couple names in the future,” Littau said, indicating that those names could include Hatch and Greene when its his turn as mayor, “Would you support them?”

“We will see what happens then but I would say probably,” Munns answered vaguely before adding more definitively, “it’s your choice if you’re the mayor.”

Council member Dr. Paul Dhanuka chose to abstain from the Council’s vote. He reminded the Council of his decision to decline an appointment to vice mayor at the start of his term, saying again that he did so in order to help set a new political culture. He also offered a strong rebuke.

“Rather than fighting with each other… I would encourage people to fight… the arrogance of power”, Dhanuka said sternly. “The problem we have is that when we get power we don’t hear others out.”

Dhanuka then called for a motion to hold separate votes for each of the two candidates.

“I decline your motion,” Mayor Munns said quickly and dismissively, before turning to the city attorney with what appeared to be a rhetorical question, “I can just do whatever I want?”

No, City Attorney Christian Curtis said, reminding Munns to follow the Council’s legal practice which includes asking for a second on any motion on the floor and taking a vote if that second is offered. 

After Dhanuka’s motion failed for a lack of a second, Council member Tenessa Audette made a motion to appoint both Nance and Ryan. Munns seconded the motion in support of appointees and Resner and Littau then supported the vote, appointing both Nance and Ryan. Dhanuka abstained. 

The two new Planning Commissioners will begin their roles in May.

4.18.225 2:03 pm: We have updated the story to correct Ryan’s role on the Shasta County Republican Central Committee.

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