Interested in public service? Dust off your resume. The City and Borough of Juneau is looking for a few good men and women to serve on boards and commissions.
Monday is the deadline to apply for one of four vacancies on the Planning Commission and three open seats on the Bartlett Regional Hospital Board of Directors.
Deputy City Clerk Beth McEwen says serving on a city board can be good experience for people interested in running for elected office.
“It is a great way to get your foot into city government, understand the process people go through, and this is a great way to get your toes wet a little bit in the public realm,” McEwen says.
The Planning Commission and hospital board are delegated certain powers and financial responsibilities by the Juneau Assembly. So McEwen says they have a more rigorous application process.
The deadline to apply for four open seats on the Social Services Advisory Board is also next week, on Wednesday. The SSAB reviews applications for the city’s social service grants and makes recommendations to the Assembly.
“Relative to some of our other boards and commissions it’s not quite as time consuming and it’s very interesting work,” McEwen says.
The vacancies on the Planning Commission, hospital board and SSAB are mostly the result of current members’ terms coming to an end. McEwen says the city is also seeking to fill an opening on the Planning Commission created when former member Marsha Bennett resigned.
In total, the city has vacancies on 20 of its boards or commissions. Applications for most are accepted year round.
To find out more about how to apply, go to the city’s website, juneau.org.
