Serve Roseville on a Citizen Commission
It’s that time of year when many of us plan out the year ahead. Perhaps you made New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you resolved to become more active in your community.
If community involvement is one of your goals, consider serving on one of Roseville’s six citizen commissions – I do, and it’s a great way to be involved and learn more about your community.
Roseville has six citizen commissions: Ethics, Human Rights, Parks and Recreation, Planning Commission, Police Civil Service, and the Public Works, Environment, and Transportation Commissions.
Commission service is voluntary. All you need to do is complete an application and then appear before the City Council for an interview.
After hearing from all the interested citizens, the City Council votes to determine who will serve a three year term. The three year terms are staggered, meaning every year a few new folks will be added to the various commissions. You are limited to two terms on any one commission.
Back to my story: In early 2009, I learned that Roseville was looking for interested citizens to sit on one of its six commissions. Despite years toiling in the private sector, I spent my formative years working in state and local government and always harbored a desire to get involved again somehow. Serving on a commission seemed a great way to get back into public service.
I wanted to serve on the Planning Commission. I’m just wonky enough to think that meeting monthly with a group of six other like-minded individuals to discuss zoning law, variance applications, conditional use permits, side-yard set-backs, and the like is fun!
But you don’t need to be an expert to apply – you just have to be interested in the community and the work of a particular commission. The Planning Commission works closely with city staff, and we all do some homework – reviewing our “packets” of material sent out before each meeting.
I usually drive around town looking at the various agenda items up close and in person, so I have some context when we meet at City Hall. It also helps to be patient – especially when the public hearings drag on for hours.
My current three year term on the Planning Commission is coming to a close and I reapplied. I am looking forward to another three years of work on land-use issues, holding public hearings, and making decisions that will ultimately help guide the City Council in their work.
Jeff Johnson
9:23 am on Wednesday, January 18, 2012
John,
Thank you for your work on the Planning Commission and for this great article highlighting Roseville's commission opportunities. Volunteering for commission work can be rewarding and, at the very least, is a great way to better acquaint one's self with our community. I highly recommend anyone interested click on the links John has provided to learn more about the commissions and how to apply. You can also call the city desk at: 651-792-7000 for more information.
Thanks again John, and congratulations on your re-appointment for a second term on the Planning Commission.
Best,
Jeff Johnson
Roseville City Council Member
Gary Grefenberg
1:25 pm on Wednesday, January 18, 2012
John: Great article, and a timely one. Roseville relies on its citizen commissions for advice and leadership, and this article--as well as your service on the Planning Commission and the Civic Engagement Task Force--exemplifies that.
Gary Grefenberg
John Kysylyczyn
9:38 pm on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Things certainly have changed a lot when it comes to applying for a citizen advisory commission. When I took office in 2000, interviews were conducted by the council in a small closed door room with no windows and nothing was televised. Typically people were appointed based upon how much work they had done on a council member's campaign in the previous election. The appointment process was pretty much done by a secret vote. Needless to say, I blew up that system.
Now we have an open application process. We have an open interview process. The selection of applicants is done in the most open process that the city has ever had. The process is televised as part of the council meetings. Thankfully the closed door smoke filled room is a thing of the past.
I think that our commissions are truly populated by regular people out in the community that wish to serve. I believe that most of our commission members have never worked on a city council member's campaign and often times have never met any of the council members before. That is a breath of fresh air in the system.