Board of Appeals holds rare private meeting

Unusual is it for Seneca’s Board of Zoning Appeals to hold private meetings, but one such meeting was convened last night at City Hall. An October decision by the board rejecting a couple’s appeal is now the subject of a challenge in the Common Pleas Court. And last night’s executive session was a chance by the city’s next attorney, Bo Bowman, to explain what’s at stake. Bowman told 101.7/WGOG NEWS he was confident the board would not be required to take any action, once that executive session finished. Because the appeals board members rarely meet out of public view, zoning administrator Ed Halbig felt it necessary to explain the process for properly meeting in executive session. The board, he said, should designate who it wants to be present in the executive session. As it turned out, the board decided to include Bowman as the only participant other than the three board members present for last night’s meeting.