Tong Selected as New Elk Grove Planning Commissioner

February 12, 2015 |

At last night's Elk Grove City Council meeting, a new member of the Elk Grove Planning Commission was selected and promptly sworn-in.

The newest commissioner is Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis' original nominee, Amy Tong. The long time Elk Grove resident was appointed to the Commission following the resignation of Nancy Chaires, who was appointed as to the Elk Grove Unified School District board of trustees.

Elk Grove's newest Planning Commissioner Amy Tong

taking her oath from Elk Grove City Clerk Jason Lindgren.

Tong's name was first placed into nomination at the January 28 city council session but was stalled after Council Members Steve Detrick, Pat Hume and Darren Suen complained Davis had sped up the process. Davis placed the nomination of Tong as a last minute agenda item to a special meeting also held that day.

At the time, the three council members expressed displeasure with the speedy process, and that other people had not been invited to apply.  They also stressed that they did not object to Tong's nomination, however. 

Pursuant to that, qualified residents were invited to apply, and the city received 11 applications. 

Aside from Tong only one other applicant, Mark Doty, appeared at the meeting. Doty, chair of the city's trail committee, said his experience with that committee helped prepare him for the duties of the planning commission.

"This is a natural extension of where I am doing on the trails committee," Doty told to the council.

During their deliberations, Davis said even though there was a wealth of experience among the other 10 applicants, he was sticking with Tong. 

"It doesn't change my nomination," he said.

Hume and Detrick stressed they supported Tong but disapproved the manner in which Davis originally handled the nomination. Both said that the application process also unveiled other qualified candidates who could be called on in the future to serve the city.

"I hope the mayor see's the value in it," Hume said. 

"Rest assured, I heard loud and clear from you guys," Davis said.