Post by BrianSullivan on Jul 22, 2010 4:56:12 GMT -5
freehold.injersey.com/2010/07/21/committee-vacancies-do-not-affect-work-say-members/
by Jackie Tempera
Democracy within the Borough could be taking a hit, as town committees function with a 15% vacancy rate*, which committee members attribute to economic recession and busy schedules.
Positions available include one of five to 11 positions on the Community Information Committee, two of seven positions on the Housing Authority Committee, seven of seven to 15 on the Human Relations Committee, one of seven positions on the Recreation Committee, three of nine to15 positions on the Rental Property Review Board and one of seven positions on the Shade Tree Commission.
According the Freehold Borough Clerk Traci DiBenedetto the empty spots are due to a lack of applicants.
“We adopted the Citizens Service Act in March and since then no one has shown interest in the positions,” said DiBenedetto.
The Citizen Service Act requires community members interested in serving on a committee to fill out a one page questionnaire, available on the Freehold Borough website. Since the act’s adoption 4 months ago not a single application has been delivered to the clerk’s office.
Before the CSA was passed, council liaisons would recommend potential committee members to be appointed to their respective committees. Now, candidates must fill out the application before they can be appointed.
Schnurr said candidates for his committee-- the Planning Board-- are chosen based on their qualifications and prior experience. He seeks a well-rounded committee.
Jaye Sims, liaison for the Community Information Committee and Human Relations Committee has noticed the drop in participation.
“Right now I think it’s a matter of timing. With the economy people are sometimes forced to work 2 or 3 jobs and even though we only meet once a month people don’t have the time between working 5 or 6 days a week and having a family,” said Sims.
Lisa Schofield, a member of the Community Information Committee agreed with this sentiment.
“The thing with volunteer work in general is it’s always changing. People drop out, join up, you get a job, you have a sick parent or child. It’s definitely not out of apathy,” she said.
Schofield said she believes the 16 empty spots out of 100 to be a low number.
When asked about the importance of volunteers and committees in the Borough, Schofield said that the committees are, “all about awareness.” She also said that her committee’s purpose is to promote events within the town and promote resident involvement in the community.
The Human Relations Committee, the group with the largest number of vacancies, has seen no ill affects, Sims said. The seven current members of the committee do fulfill the minimum of the ordinance, though they are allowed accept up to fifteen members. The HRC is dedicated to eliminating problems between different local ethnic groups, said Sims.
“We would love to have more members,” Sims added.
Marc LeVine, a member of the Rental Property Review Board said that his board has also seen no problems with their three vacancies. LeVine said this Board is responsible for proposing changes to the council and mediation between renters and landlords.
Despite insistence that the committees are functioning just fine in town, the Community Information Committee is taking action against the dwindling participation.
“We are hosting a volunteer fair outside the Hall of Records on September 25th. Our councils as well as other volunteer organizations will be on display and we hope to attract people this way,” said Sims.
Schofield said the fair is to advertise volunteering as whole.
“We want people to know that it’s not a second career and it’s not incredibly demanding,” she said.
“We have had regular meetings with very good dialogue. I can not remember a time when we had to cancel a meeting except for seasonal complications and vacations that usually occur in July or August,” LeVine said.
* Editor's Note: The Planning Board, which we earlier reported had one vacancy among its four alternate positions, is not currently seeking applicants. The ordinance allowing alternates was amended recently to increase the number of allowed alternates from two to four, though Council liaison George Schnurr said the Board only needs three alternates right now, and that the additional position was included in the law in case future needs require it.
by Jackie Tempera
Democracy within the Borough could be taking a hit, as town committees function with a 15% vacancy rate*, which committee members attribute to economic recession and busy schedules.
Positions available include one of five to 11 positions on the Community Information Committee, two of seven positions on the Housing Authority Committee, seven of seven to 15 on the Human Relations Committee, one of seven positions on the Recreation Committee, three of nine to15 positions on the Rental Property Review Board and one of seven positions on the Shade Tree Commission.
According the Freehold Borough Clerk Traci DiBenedetto the empty spots are due to a lack of applicants.
“We adopted the Citizens Service Act in March and since then no one has shown interest in the positions,” said DiBenedetto.
The Citizen Service Act requires community members interested in serving on a committee to fill out a one page questionnaire, available on the Freehold Borough website. Since the act’s adoption 4 months ago not a single application has been delivered to the clerk’s office.
Before the CSA was passed, council liaisons would recommend potential committee members to be appointed to their respective committees. Now, candidates must fill out the application before they can be appointed.
Schnurr said candidates for his committee-- the Planning Board-- are chosen based on their qualifications and prior experience. He seeks a well-rounded committee.
Jaye Sims, liaison for the Community Information Committee and Human Relations Committee has noticed the drop in participation.
“Right now I think it’s a matter of timing. With the economy people are sometimes forced to work 2 or 3 jobs and even though we only meet once a month people don’t have the time between working 5 or 6 days a week and having a family,” said Sims.
Lisa Schofield, a member of the Community Information Committee agreed with this sentiment.
“The thing with volunteer work in general is it’s always changing. People drop out, join up, you get a job, you have a sick parent or child. It’s definitely not out of apathy,” she said.
Schofield said she believes the 16 empty spots out of 100 to be a low number.
When asked about the importance of volunteers and committees in the Borough, Schofield said that the committees are, “all about awareness.” She also said that her committee’s purpose is to promote events within the town and promote resident involvement in the community.
The Human Relations Committee, the group with the largest number of vacancies, has seen no ill affects, Sims said. The seven current members of the committee do fulfill the minimum of the ordinance, though they are allowed accept up to fifteen members. The HRC is dedicated to eliminating problems between different local ethnic groups, said Sims.
“We would love to have more members,” Sims added.
Marc LeVine, a member of the Rental Property Review Board said that his board has also seen no problems with their three vacancies. LeVine said this Board is responsible for proposing changes to the council and mediation between renters and landlords.
Despite insistence that the committees are functioning just fine in town, the Community Information Committee is taking action against the dwindling participation.
“We are hosting a volunteer fair outside the Hall of Records on September 25th. Our councils as well as other volunteer organizations will be on display and we hope to attract people this way,” said Sims.
Schofield said the fair is to advertise volunteering as whole.
“We want people to know that it’s not a second career and it’s not incredibly demanding,” she said.
“We have had regular meetings with very good dialogue. I can not remember a time when we had to cancel a meeting except for seasonal complications and vacations that usually occur in July or August,” LeVine said.
* Editor's Note: The Planning Board, which we earlier reported had one vacancy among its four alternate positions, is not currently seeking applicants. The ordinance allowing alternates was amended recently to increase the number of allowed alternates from two to four, though Council liaison George Schnurr said the Board only needs three alternates right now, and that the additional position was included in the law in case future needs require it.
