Durham County Board of Commissioners have elected Antonio Jones to the Durham Planning Commission, undoing their April 5 election of Darius M. Little.

Jones is a full-time student at N.C. Central University. He had received the planning commissioners' recommendation for the Oak Grove/Carr Township seat on the commission, but lost to Little in the commissioners' original vote.

The commissioners agreed to reconsider Little's election after allegations surfaced that Little had misrepresented himself as a lawyer and taken money for services he didn't provide. Little faces a felony charge of obtaining money by false pretense.

Last week, the Durham County Commissioners voted Darius M. Little onto the Durham Planning Commission. Monday night, they changed their minds -- at least for the time being.

A vote to "reconsider" Little's appointment was unanimous, effectively leaving the earlier approval in limbo until another vote is taken. The commissioners did not set a date for a second vote on filling the Planing Commission seat for Oak Grove Township.

Commissioner Joe Bowser asked to have reconsideration on Monday's agenda after The News & Observer reported  that the N.C. State Bar plans to review complaints that Little misrepresented himself as an attorney. The Bar is scheduled to meet on the complaints Wednesday.

Little was approved for the Planning Commission, a citizens' advisory body on zoning and land-use matters, by a 3-2 vote over N.C. Central University student Antonio Jones. Little, who ran for a City Council seat in 2009, is a student at Phoenix University's Raleigh branch.

Little has felony convictions in Wake, Durham and Orange counties relating to checks he said he bounced when he fell on hard times while attending UNC.

Fifty-five speakers signed up for time at this afternoon’s county commissioners’ hearing on next year’s grants to nonprofit agencies.

Three agencies got hearings even though they missed the application deadline: El Centro Hispano, the John Avery Boys and Girls Club and the Triangle Champions Track Club.

The board approved leniency because of the agencies service to children – but not without some chastising for the adults who messed up.

“Forty-two applications came in on time,” said commissioner Becky Heron.

“We have a responsibility to really, really uphold the rules,” Chairman Michael Page said. “Any kind of leniency … is because of the population of kids you serve.”

The commissioners discussed withholding a portion of any grant the agencies get, as a penalty, but deferred that decision until their budget hearings. County Manager Mike Ruffin will make funding recommendations in his budget proposal May 24.

Commissioner Joe Bowser opposed any financial penalty.

“I think a stern letter to their boards would be enough,” he said.

For the second time, Durham County commissioners put off voting on an appointment to the Workforce Development Board.

"This has probably been one of the worst appointments I’ve ever dealt with since I’ve been a commissioner," Chairman Michael Page said, "because of the unclarity.”

The appointment was on the agenda for today's work session. The vote to postponey came after Donald Hughes took issue with statements made at the commissioners' March 22 meeting about his application for the seat.

Comments by James Dickens, the board's Youth Program Coordinator, were "a deliberate attempt to misrepresent," Hughes said.

At the earlier meeting, Dickens said Hughes's application was turned in after that of Lea Henry, who was recommended for the position by the board's executive committee.

He also said that Hughes had been offered a seat on one of the board’s committees, which would not require him to hold a seat on the workforce board itself, and that he believed Hughes had accepted it.

This morning, Hughes said his application was in fact turned in a month before Henry’s; that he had never heard an offer of a committee seat and would not have accepted it if he had.

Asked to respond, Dickens said he had been mistaken at the March 22 meeting.

"This has been a messy, messy situation," Page said, "and I have lost confidence in any of our departments" to make recommendations on board and commission appointments.

Thr commissioners did not set a date for voting on the appointment.

"I don't want it back until we get some clarity," Page said.

"The purpose of the board is to facilitate, plan and coordinate workforce development resources,” according to its Web site, www.durhamnc.gov/departments/eed/dwdb_index.cfm.

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Darius Little, unsuccessful candidate for the Durham City Council last year, called on the Durham County commissioners this morning to "consider some kind of tax on non-Durham residents" who work in Durham County.

"In Durham, we are losing a lot of money," Little said, during a citizen-comment period at the commissioners work session. "The citizens need some help."

Specifically, he said parking tickets issued to non-residents go uncollected because there is no mechanism for enforcing collection outside the county; and sales tax from Raleigh-Durham International Airport that currently all goes to Wake County.

"We are being pimped out" at the airport, he said.

"I'm with you on this," said Commissioner Joe Bowser. "It's something I've pushed for."

Bowser has recommended some kind of commuter tax since first coming onto the county board in the mid-1990s, and last year revived a movement to let Durham share in the airport sales tax.

Money for Durham Public Schools was the only topic of conversation at Tuesday night's "Conversation With Commissioners" at Jordan High School. And it was pretty much a one-sided conversation, as statements from 35 members of the audience ran past the meeting's 9 p.m. appointed quitting time.

County Commissioner Brenda Howerton (right) did manage to get in a word or two, though.

Citizen Ricky Hardy was one of those telling the commissioners not to cut DPS's appropriation for 2010-11, despite the county's own revenue decline. He wanted to know how many of the commissioners had children of their own in the school system.

No hands went up. After a moment of awkward silence, Howerton said:

"Mr. Hardy, you should ask us about grandchildren."

Durham and Person County commissioners have agreed to explore an economic-development partnership for northern Durham and southern Person counties.

"I think this is a viable thing for us to look at. I'm sure you're almost out of land in the RTP," said Person commissioner Jimmy Clayton.

“I like the idea of long-range planning, 30 years out,” said Durham commissioner Joe Bowser.

The town is in a tizzy over the predictions for nasty weather. While the Durham Farmers' Market promises to be open for business Saturday no matter what, and Duke Park residents are emailing each other about good spots for sledding, the Durham County commissioners have already called off Monday's work session in anticipation of ice, snow and general misery.

Durham County commissioners honored retiring general services Director Mike Turner Monday night, with a proclamation recognizing "sincere dedication and service ... for 33 years."

Turner began work for the county in 1976 and became head of general services in 1981. His last day on the job is Dec. 31.

During Turner's administration, the department went from overseeing 200,000 square feet of county property to more than 1.5 million square feet. He chaired the county United Way campaign twice, and spent 34 years as Command Sergeant Major in the N.C. Army National Guard.

Commissioner Ellen Reckhow said Turner had been a "stellar" director with a "priceless" can-do attitude.

"Certainly, I don't want to see you go," Commissioner Joe Bowser said to Turner. "I just hope you enjoy [retirement] to the fullest. You're always willing to take on tasks ... and you always have a smile."

Durham's City/County Planning Department should have a report on the Jordan Lake watershed protest petition done by the end of the day, but it doesn't appear it will be going public before next week.