One of the most important parts of the selectmen's job is to appoint individuals to the many committees and boards in town. Some of these boards, such as the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Commission, are quasi-judicial bodies with some serious authority.
However, for the selectmen to make good choices, we must have good applicants. Please, take the time to look over this list and consider applying. The list is alphabetical, with the number of seats and the expiration of the term(s).
Affirmative Action (2 positions) 6/30/08, 6/30/10
Affordable Housing Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Agricultural Commission (1 position) 6/30/09
Building Code Board of Appeals (1 position) 6/30/12
Design Review Committee (2 positions) 6/30/08, 6/30/10
Disabilities, Commission on (2 positions) 6/30/11
EDIC (2 positions) 6/30/11
Energy Committee (2 positions) 6/30/08, 6/30/11
Historical Commission (1 position) 6/30/10
Local Planning Committee (1 position) 6/30/10
Recreation Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
Solid Waste Advisory Committee (3 positions) 6/30/08, 6/30/11, 6/30/11
Survey, Board of (2 positions) 6/30/11
Town Building Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
The following positions have incumbents; applicants are encouraged to apply:
Affordable Housing Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
Agricultural Commission (3 positions) 6/30/11
Beach Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Bikeways Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Board of Health (2 positions) 6/30/11
Building Code Board of Appeals (2 positions) 6/30/13
Cable Advisory Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Community Preservation Committee (3 positions) 6/30/11
Conservation Commission (3 positions) 6/30/11
Council on Aging (1 position) 6/30/11
Design Review Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
Disabilities, Commission on (1 position) 6/30/11
EDIC (1 position) 6/30/11
Energy Committee (3 positions) 6/30/11
Golf Advisory Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
Historic District Commission (2 positions) 6/30/13
Historical Commission (2 positions) 6/30/11
Human Services Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Local Planning Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
Recreation Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Solid Waste Advisory Committee (1 position) 6/30/11
Substance Abuse Committee (4 positions) 6/30/11
Waterways Committee (2 positions) 6/30/11
Zoning Board of Appeals (1 position, voting member) 6/30/13
Application deadline for these vacancies is Wednesday, June 11, 2008. Applications are available on the Town web site, or in the Office of the Board of Selectmen, 59 Town Hall Square, Falmouth.
2 comments:
I have always been fascinated by government, intrigued by policy, and have an appreciation and sense of pride in our form of local government. Though I’ve been called a government geek and a policy wonk, it doesn’t take a degree in political science to figure out we have a problem in our local forum.
Docks, weddings, dogs, liquor, and, oh wait, the chief executive office creates and appoints committees, commissions, advisory boards, working groups, study groups, and task force groups. Have I left anyone out? Twenty five have made the grade to the town web site though I heard numbers up to the forties. These are the volunteers who put their personal and professional lives aside to serve the Town. These groups formulate, regulate, reside and audit the governmental workings of Falmouth . Sound warm and fuzzy yet? Some committees and commissions are mandated by the Town Charter, some by special legislation, and some at the pleasure of the executive board to act, sometimes advise, and sometimes make recommendations that the executive board would like to otherwise abdicate.
So it would seem logical that with committees ranging from five to nine members with a conservative guess at thirty committees, there are an average of 180 appointed seats that run the government for these astute elected officers. Most successful companies that employ 180 personnel have an entire staff to manage, hire, review, promote and otherwise command. A judicious executive would recognize that without a full personnel staff , 180 employees would be like fire ants on a honey stick. Unlike a company of that size, our executive policy does not have a standards for members. There are no standards for achievement, no standards for conduct, no performance standards nor are department heads (Chairmen) asked for input or given support when personnel problems arise, and they do! As a Chair of a Commission I facilitate public meetings, administrate the work of the Commission and act as a functionary for the Chief as I watch newly appointed members resign in frustration, am humiliated, degraded. I have been told to document inappropriate behavior, I have been told to ask members to attend open meeting law forums (though I cant require them to attend ) I have been told that these issues would come up at the time of reappointment. So I and predecessors have waited for three long years to be vindicated for our efforts, what was the action of the board you may ask? All incumbents are rubber stamped for seats when there are no applicants! “We have to do it, it is part of the Charter.” I have looked, I have tried to find where the Charter reads that the Board of Selectmen should obfuscate their most important responsibility by acting so reckless. They do not support the very people who try to maintain integrity, legitimacy and decorum within the position that they serve. It is insulting that the Board of Selectmen treat our positions so frivolously that our work and our striving for veracity is so blatantly disregarded.
On a final note… Mr. Mustafa why again is there a lack of applicants for town boards? Doesn’t everyone want to sit on a seat of disgrace?
I hit the cyber-button without identification....I have no intention of being anonymous,
Sheryl Kozens-Long
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