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The Windsor Town Council is on the lookout for a town resident willing and able to serve on the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals.

Windsor Planning and Zoning Administrator James “Jay” Randolph announced during the council’s Tuesday, July 12, meeting that there is currently a vacancy on the Windsor BZA due to the recent passing of Frances D. Butler.

Randolph noted that members of the BZA are recommended by the council to the Isle of Wight Circuit Court.

“The circuit court will make the actual appointments of those members,” he said. “Therefore, with this vacancy, council should begin the outreach process to identify potential candidates in the town that may be willing to serve in this position. At a future date, if it be the will of council, a motion can then be adopted to recommend such citizen to the court to fulfill the remaining term of this vacancy.”

The remaining term runs until Dec. 31, 2024, he stated.

“So at this point, I guess the thought for council is to ponder individuals that may match and be able to serve in this capacity,” Windsor Mayor Glyn T. Willis said.

He indicated that this capacity is a difficult one and then explained why, drawing from his own experience.

“I served on the county BZA, and there were a couple of years that we had one meeting a year, which was our organizational meeting, and no cases,” he said. “My recollection is that the town hasn’t had a zoning appeal probably in 10-plus years, so there’s a fairly significant commitment to learn what needs to be done and go through some of the training and stuff that goes along with that for something that you don’t get to exercise that often, but it is very important that we have that there as the need might come up.”

Councilwoman Kelly Blankenship asked if council members had any thoughts or recommendations of people that they think are already potential candidates, and she also asked what kind of skill sets or backgrounds candidates should have — knowledge that would help council members as they think about different residents.

The mayor said that Blankenship was asking a good question in reference to skill sets and backgrounds.

“I think if we got some information to council on that, that may trigger some things in their minds,” he said.

Again drawing from his own experience, Willis said serving on a BZA is to serve in a judicial capacity when cases come up.

“It was an interesting opportunity, and I appreciated the chance to be able to sit on that when I was doing it for the county,” he said.

Vice Mayor Greg Willis stated that he wanted to posthumously thank Butler for her years of service, possibly by passing a resolution.

Mayor Willis praised the vice mayor for this idea.

“I know I had some interactions with her probably when I was on county BZA as the town was trying to do some stuff, and my recollection is that she was one of the more dedicated ones to be there and do what needed to be done, so excellent idea, Greg,” the mayor said.

He added that he would let Windsor Town Manager William Saunders ponder that and that he and Saunders would talk about what they might be able to do to honor Butler.

In his memo to the mayor and council, Randolph stated that Butler’s willingness to have served on the town’s BZA provided examples of her commitments to community and public service.