Council appoints Richard Miller and Jeff Stearns to Planning and Zoning Commission

Pinetop Lakeside — The town council on Jan. 2, 2025 appointed Richard Miller and Jeff Stearns to the Pinetop Lakeside Planning and Zoning Commission to fill seats with terms ending July 23, 2026.

Council interviewed three residents who applied for the two open seats: Richard (Rick) Miller, Kathy Purvis and Jeff Stearns. The seats were open after two commissioners were elected to the town council. Staff said all three applicants lived inside town limits, a requirement for the available seats.

Miller described a long municipal-planning career that included municipal planning and development roles in Rapid City, Casa Grande, Eloy and Coolidge, and said he most recently retired after serving as a city manager. "I've been involved with planning my whole career, 43 years in municipal government," Miller said.

Kathy Purvis said she had been a Lakeside resident for about six years and cited volunteer work with the humane society and park initiatives as motivation. Jeff Stearns said he sought the appointment to contribute to the community and described prior volunteer board experience; he said he would ask questions and learn from staff and commissioners.

After the interviews the council voted by ballot to select two finalists. The mayor and council members cast ballots; the clerk read the tallied ballots aloud and the clerk and mayor confirmed that Richard Miller and Jeff Stearns received the two highest vote totals. The council then adopted two resolutions to make the appointments: Resolution No. 25-1762 appointing Richard Miller and Resolution No. 25-1763 appointing Jeff Stearns. Both resolutions were approved in unanimous roll-call actions at the meeting.

Mayor (name not specified in record) and councilors thanked all three applicants for applying and invited the new commissioners to coordinate with staff on schedules and orientation.