Board looking for new member of wetlands panel

The West Bloomfield Board of Trustees is working on finding a new commissioner for the Floodplain and Wetlands Review Board.

This comes after former Commissioner Steven W. Schwartzenfeld submitted his immediate resignation at the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 21.

“Each board member is submitting three names for a nomination,” Township Trustee Steve Kaplan said.

“The field will then be narrowed down to two or three finalists.”

The Wetlands Review Board is currently headed by Chairman Tony Spokojny and Vice Chairman Rhett Gronevelt along with Secretary Katherine A. Hagopian.

The three remaining Wetlands Review Board commissioners are Adria Brown, Lance Stokes and Sara Oltarz-Schwartz.

Gene Farber is the non-voting liaison from the township board.

“We have a bunch of applications that we’re reviewing and interviews will be set up,” Farber said.

“We have not made a final decision on interviews. It could be done by a committee or the entire board (of trustees).”

Farber said that the board reviews applications for permits for township residents who have a designated wetland on their property.

Any work done on a property with a wetland must comply with the township’s wetland ordinance.

“Historically, West Bloomfield has been strong in protecting the environment and I want someone who will continue the tradition,” Farber said.