To the editor:
Section 7.5 of the Brown County Zoning Ordinance states that A) a decision of the planning coordinator (Christine Ritzmann) enforcing this ordinance may be appealed to the Board (of zoning appeals) by any person who is adversely affected by the decision.
So I filed an appeal on Ritzmann’s decision to sue a private contractor in this county and the settlement determination. Ritzmann denied my appeal before it made it to the BZA. Ritzmann claimed that she had decided my request for appeal was late. However, I could pay the $100 appeal fee and appeal her decision to deny my request for appeal to the board. She told me that I would not be permitted to discuss the private contractor case. Ritzmann had written a statement saying she denied my original request and had written the public notice that must be submitted to the newspaper for this appeal.
The notice read that I was requesting an appeal of a decision made by the director of the Brown County Area Plan Commission on Jan. 4, 2021. I told the planning office that I wouldn’t sign the paper as I was appealing a determination made in November of 2020. They then refused to accept my money and put me on the docket. (Oh, the games we play in this county.)
This county employee (Ritzmann) is making all of these decisions without consulting any of her board members, which I requested. She has been allowed to sue citizens without any board oversight, according to board testimony. She is now denying people their lawful appeal rights.
Long story short, I signed the paper, “Forced to sign.”
See you on the 27th.
Sherrie Mitchell, Brown County
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