As reported in the most recent City Council recap, Ward 1 Alderwoman Adella Gray announced the selections for several open positions on Fayetteville boards, commissions and committees, as recommended by the council’s Nominating Committee.
Five groups received no applicants including seats on the Board of Adjustments, Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals, Environmental Action Committee, Historic District Commission, and Public Facilities Board.
Below is the full list of new board and committee members:
Active Transportation Advisory Board – Clint Thomas
Animal Services Advisory Board – Linda Fritz
Fayetteville Arts Council – Jason Bigbee, Sandra Hubbard, Erika Wilhite
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – Jonathan Leonard, Terry Lawson
Urban Forestry Advisory Board – Kathy Launder, Malcolm LeVois
Walton Arts Center Council, Inc. – Bill Waite
Walton Arts Center Foundation, Inc. – Eric Sales
Is this normal for so few people to be interested in sitting on a board? The Animal Services Advisory Board for example had 4 openings and only 1 appointee. Several people were interested in filling those seats but were told since they did not live in the incorporated city limits of Fayetteville they could not even apply. Maybe if positions are not filled by locals then others in WA county could be considered that actually want to participate!
Consider this: these boards and committees exist to advise the Fayetteville City Council on issues that affect Fayetteville. Heavy emphasis on the “Fayetteville”. I don’t think it would be wise to have people who are not registered voters in Fayetteville serve on these advisory boards. People who don’t live in Fayetteville would not necessarily have in mind the best interests of Fayetteville. As a resident, and registered voter, in Fayetteville, I don’t want someone who lives in rural western Washington County advising members of my City Council, no matter how magnanimous or charitable their motives may be.
jmo