Just because you’re not on the city council doesn’t mean you
can’t have a strong say in setting policy.
Morgan Hill – Just because you’re not on the city council doesn’t mean you can’t have a strong say in setting policy.
Important decisions are made just about every week by the city’s various advisory boards and commissions, including six that are recruiting to fill 21 vacancies this year.
“The council wants to make sure it includes the broader sense of the community on issues,” said City Clerk Irma Torrez. “I know the council values all its volunteers. It’s not an easy thing to give personal time and family time to serve the community, but it’s rewarding.”
Groups looking for new members this year consist of the Architectural and Site Review Board, the Bicycle and Trail Advisory Committee, the Library, Culture and Arts Commission, the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Commission, the Planning Commission and the Senior Advisory Commission.
People interested in applying can fill out forms at City Hall, 17555 Peak Ave., or on the city’s Web site, www.morgan-hill.ca.gov. The deadline for submitting an application is Friday, April 6, at 5pm, to the city clerk’s office.
Appointments to each group last two years, with the exception of the planning commission, which has four-year terms for members. The city council will make the appointments to the advisory groups in the coming months as the positions become available.
Requirements for serving on boards and commissions vary, but the most basic stipulation is being a Morgan Hill resident. However, the city can make exceptions for people who live within the Morgan Hill Unified School District’s boundaries but outside of town limits.
The general purpose of the boards and commissions is to provide specialized advice for the council, a role that commissioners hold in high regard.
“They rely on us for technical advice, but we don’t have the political pressures they do,” said Ralph Lyle, a member of the planning commission since 1993, who hasn’t decided whether he’ll seek another term when his current one expires this year. “The council is concerned about other things that don’t fall into our view, like the budget, but there are additional criteria that come into play.”
Advisory boards and commissions usually meet once or twice a month for one to three hours. Preparation time for meetings depends on the complexity of the issues on the agenda.
“In our meetings we look very carefully at items sent to council for new developments to see to it that bike safety has been incorporated and make sure bike parking is part of the plan,” said Carl McCann, a retired semi-conductor engineer and chair of the bicycle and trails advisory committee, which is currently reviewing the new Morgan Hill Trails and Natural Resources study. “Our meetings take an hour and a half to two hours. There’s some outside work, but not too much.”
McCann, an avid cyclist who joined the committee about five years ago, said the most rewarding part of the job is meeting and working with fellow residents who want the same thing: a bicycle friendly community.
Library, Culture and Arts Commissioner Einar Anderson said he enjoys being involved with efforts to draft public art policies for the city, create a new library at James Boys Ranch, coordinate with the school district to enhance library services for students and recommend decorative artwork for the city’s new library opening this summer behind City Hall.
“We are part of the decision-making process,” Anderson said. “When there’s an art piece coming into the city, we make our recommendation. That’s exciting because you’re doing things you feel are right for the future.”
Anderson said the commission has made more of an effort to recruit members who are more familiar with art.
“You want to have a critical eye,” he said. “You want to make sure you’re not making suggestions to the city council that aren’t appropriate.”
The most narrow membership requirements for belonging to any advisory group apply to the five-person architectural and site review board. Under the city’s municipal code, members of the board must have professional experience or expertise as a registered architect, a design specialist, a horticulturist or a licensed general contractor. Two members of the group must have experience in city planning, graphic design or a broad knowledge of plant material, building design or other physical design professions. Because the individuals appointed to the board are expected to further the interest of the architectural profession, reviewing all new structures and improvements to buildings, the city council finds that professional experience is tantamount to meeting the public’s needs.
