A strange vote at the Manchester Township Planning Commission

The Manchester Township Planning Commission seemed to
have an odd vote at last night's meeting. 

Last night's Manchester Township Planning Commission was filled with drama, accusations and walk-outs. This isn't out of the ordinary when an issue strikes at the heart of any community.

While the commission voted to approve the conditional use permit for the banquet hall on Tracey Road 4-2, the events right before that final vote (which effectively ended the meeting, as the board moved the rest of its agenda to next month and adjourned after many residents left very upset), were slightly interesting.

Confusion over what motion was made when the roll call made it to Lyle Widmayer, who also serves on the township's Board of Trustees. A motion to seemingly approve the permit was made by Trustee Pete Stumpo, seconded by Secretary George Daubner. As the vote went around the table, it got to Widmayer, who questioned what the vote was on. His claim was that the vote being made was for whether or not the commission would vote on the issue tonight, not to approve it. Even with planning adviser Andrea Bibby reading the proposed ordinance for approval, it was unclear to him what the vote was actually on.

Much discussion ensued, and then it seemed the previous motion was halted in its tracks along with the vote. That's something I've never seen before: a vote initiated by the body after a motion and second, and all of a sudden, it vanished during voting without a clear withdrawal.

Another motion was then made by Stumpo, this time to approve the conditional use. This went through like most motions do, and was eventually approved 4-2. But that lone vote continued to be on the floor.

Perhaps this means nothing, and perhaps there's something else here. I've just never seen a procedure for a vote taken like that at a public meeting, where the previous motion seemed to not be withdrawn.

Take a listen at the last few minuters of the meeting and see if you agree: