Redding Mayor Tenessa Audette seems to be trying to fill the Planning Commission with like-minded people who favor more commercial development, and it may be furthering divisions among city council members. Michael Daquisto has long decried what he’s called “The Bethel Juggernaut” in reference to the council’s majority Bethel Church affiliation of Audette, Julie Winter and Jack Munns. Audette calls such references “bigoted”. Last month the Planning Commission terms of Cameron Middleton and Marcus Partin ended. They could have been renewed but instead Audette, Winter and Munns voted to replace them with developer Joshua Johnson and Bethel Media CEO David Stine. At Tuesday nights meeting, a vote will come up on whether to remove Commissioner Aaron Hatch, who has been sharply criticized by Audette for appearing to question the council’s motives.
– Steve Gibson