A former Brick Township councilwoman has been appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Kathy Russell, a Democrat who served as a member of the governing body from 1998 to 2009, was unanimously approved by the council at its meeting last week to join the board as an alternate member. Russell also currently serves as a commissioner on the board of the Brick Township Housing Authority.
Alternate members of the board, when they hear cases, are voting members whose decisions carry the same weight as regular members. They consider applications when other board members are unable to attend a meeting or are conflicted out of a case due to any number of factors, from residing near a piece of land that is part of an application to having a business or familial relationship with a property owner. Alternate members are often appointed to regular seats when they become available.