Brian Shotwell, who by day is director of facilities at the Riverside Smithfield Hospital set to open in 2026, will be joining Isle of Wight County’s Planning Commission.

Isle of Wight’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on May 15 to appoint him to one of two seats representing the former Newport District, now District 2. He will succeed Thomas Distefano, who in March was appointed to fill the late Supervisor William McCarty’s seat on the board and since then has been serving in a dual capacity as supervisor and commissioner. Distefano was the one to nominate Shotwell. Commissioners are nominated by the board members representing their respective districts and confirmed by majority vote of the full board

The Planning Commission is tasked with making recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on land use applications and zoning regulations.

One seat on the 10-member Planning Commission remains vacant.

Cynthia Taylor, who since March 2014 had represented the Carrollton area in its second District 2 seat, resigned at the end of January after 10 years and 10 months in the role.

Distefano said he is actively seeking applicants to replace Taylor.

Rick Sienkiewicz, who’d held one of two Windsor area District 4 seats since August 2022, resigned last fall, citing conflicts with work and family obligations. District 4 Supervisor Joel Acree nominated Keith Johnson on March 20 to succeed Sienkiewicz. 

The supervisors approved Johnson’s appointment unanimously. George Rawls holds the other District 4 seat.

Acree described Johnson as a resident of the county since 1986, volunteer firefighter and an aerospace engineer who recently retired from NASA.