Town Manager Seeks Volunteers To Serve On Town Boards & Committees
Photo: amherstma.gov
Source: amherstma.gov
Town Manager Paul Bockelman seeks volunteers to fill vacancies on town boards and committees.
The town has over 30 boards and committees that support the work of the town government and each has multiple residents who are members. Terms of service are typically three years; some may be shorter.
Members typically serve for two terms. Members with terms expiring who have served one term may be seeking reappointment.
Boards and Committees that have or may have vacancies include: the Agricultural Commission, Amherst Affordable Housing Trust, Amherst Cultural Council, CDBG Advisory Committee, Community Preservation Act Committee, Community Safety and Social Justice Committee, Council on Aging, Disability Access Advisory Committee, Historical Commission, Local Historic District Commission, Munson Memorial Building Trustees, Public Art Commission, Recreation Commission, and the Water Supply Protection Committee.
The Town Manager seeks residents who have relevant expertise or experience. We are especially seeking individuals of diverse backgrounds to serve on all boards, committees, and commissions.
If you are interested in volunteering to serve, please fill out a Community Activity Form at: https://www.amherstma.gov/caf
A complete list of all boards and committees can be found here.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Community Participation Officers via email at GetInvolved@AmherstMA.gov or visit their web page here.
“… seeks residents who have relevant expertise or experience. We are especially seeking individuals of diverse backgrounds …”
Why isn’t that preference also encouraged for elected positions, instead of the current “Jack/Jill of all Trades” approach. Decisions that directly impact tax-payers and year-round residents (e.g., finances, zoning, town-wide street lighting schemes, police video recording policies) are deserving of experience and expertise and, as often suggested by some Councilors, trust the experts.
James Murphy
Mr. Bockelman omitted the need for 2 Board of Health members who will be needed this summer. Two board members’ terms expire June 30.
Does anyone else find it ironic that our town — ever since the charter went into effect — has struggled to fill so many vacancies on town boards and committees? One of the promises made by supporters of the charter was that the town would see more participation in government by its citizens. Instead — again, no surprise here folks — the exact opposite has taken place, as evidenced by the constant need to fill vacancies. (I supported a new town charter, but only the mayoral-city council option, for full disclosure, and I served as a town meeting member and on several committees for years.) Town meeting and the select board functioned as a feeder system for boards and committees — not just meeting members like myself for the boards/committees but also because town meeting members would often recommend people they thought would be good for certain vacancies (who would still be vetted by the town staff, if I recall correctly). So you had 240 folks or so serving as a feeder system, tapping into their own variety of networks, whereas today we seem to just have the 13 council members to serve this function — or perhaps no feeder system at all — and I for one don’t think it’s appropriate (democratically speaking since there is no check on their power) for the council to be suggesting names for these vacancies, if they do/have been doing this.
I guess the true bottom line is this: For all those who supported the charter and have yet to volunteer for a board or committee, step up now. Remember that for those of us who served in the past, we all made sacrifices of family time and work time (like arranging child care! like arranging time away from work!) to serve our town, so there really is no excuse if you supported the charter for not getting actively involved.