Community service

City seeks volunteers for commissions; deadline for citizen applications July 13



Port Aransas Planning and Zoning Commission members, from left, Nick Lorette, Craig Scott and Chad Shimaitis listen to a speaker at a recent commission meeting at City Hall. Port Aransas city officials are looking for folks who are interested in applying for positions on the commission. Staff photo by Dan Parker

Port Aransas Planning and Zoning Commission members, from left, Nick Lorette, Craig Scott and Chad Shimaitis listen to a speaker at a recent commission meeting at City Hall. Port Aransas city officials are looking for folks who are interested in applying for positions on the commission. Staff photo by Dan Parker

Port Aransas residents who want to get involved in helping shape the town’s future may take advantage of unpaid openings now being advertised on the city’s boards and commissions.

The city is seeking volunteers to fill openings on seven boards and commissions. The deadline for applications is at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, at city hall.

The city council is expected to review the city staff’s recommendations for appointments at its regular monthly meeting on July 21. The appointees to the groups will be helping current members advise the council members on matters coming before them for consideration.

There are different requirements for the groups, but all applicants must be city residents and registered to vote. Applications are available at city hall and on the city’s website, www.cityofportaransas.org.

The openings are arising as the result of current members’ two-year terms expiring. Some of those members will be reapplying to continue service. Those members traditionally are reinstalled to their positions by the council.

The groups with openings are the Board of Adjustments and Appeals, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Recreational Development Corporation, Animal Shelter Advisory Board and Nature Preserve Technical Advisory Board.

The number of times the various groups meet during a year vary. That allows applicants to match the amount of time they want to volunteer with a group.

Each group has a city staffer who advises the members. The volunteer positions provide an opportunity for residents to get involved in local government, said Nature Preserve Manager Rae Mooney, who advises the Nature Preserve Technical Advisory Board. “This is a way that citizens can help with the things within Port Aransas that they care about,” she said.

The different groups’ functions are:

• Board of Adjustments and Appeals: The board meets on an as needed basis. It has five members and two alternates, and it was created for interpreting and issuing variances to zoning regulations in particular cases as circumstances require in accordance with state law and local ordinances. Applicants must own real property within the city. There are three openings. Planning and Development Director Rick Adams is the staff liaison.

• Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: The board meets on the third Monday of each month at 5 p.m. at City Hall. It has five members. It was created to advise the council and the Parks and Recreation Department about the planning and development of park and recreational facilities, regulations for their use and to make recommendations about updating the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. There are three openings. Parks and Recreation Director Colleen Simpson is the staff liaison.

• Planning and Zoning Commission: The commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. at City Hall with extra meetings as necessary. It has seven members. It advises the council on planning and environmental quality, according to the city charter. It has seven members. There are four openings. Planning and Development Director Rick Adams is the staff liaison.

• Recreational Development Corporation: The corporation manages the issuance of bonds on behalf of the city for recreational and sports facilities and programs that include sports fields and stadiums, swimming pools, sports complexes and related facilities. It has seven volunteer members and four city officers. There are two openings. Parks and Recreation Director Colleen Simpson is the staff liaison.

• Animal Shelter Advisory Board: The board advises the council on matters about the animal shelter. It meets three times per year with extra meetings as necessary. It has five members and two city staff officers, but there currently are no volunteers serving. There are five openings. Chief of Police Scott Burroughs is the staff liaison as well as being one of the officers.

• Nature Preserve Technical Advisory Board: The board meets on the first Monday of each month at 3 p.m. at City Hall. It has seven members. It provides technical guidance for the Nature Preserve. There are three openings. Nature Preserve Manager Rae Mooney is the staff liaison.

• Library Board: The board meets quarterly in the Library Conference Room. It advises the council on the planning, development, use, regulation, operation and maintenance of the William R. “Bill” Ellis Memorial Library. There are three openings, including one currently vacant alternate position. The staff liaison is Library Director Stefanie Bara.

Simpson said there are not usually an abundance of volunteer applicants, but that city staff “would love to see that.” The parks board is currently working on a 10-year Parks and Open Spaces Master Plan. “These volunteers are representing the community and assisting with decision making,” she said. “They are incredibly useful to me as a director. I like to have a team of people to be creative with and help make the parks the best they can be.”

Adams said the Board of Adjustments and Appeals alternate positions would be a good choice for new volunteers. “You don’t need as much experience and time because the meetings are on an as-needed basis,” he said. “It’s an excellent way to get your feet wet”

Current members whose terms are expiring but may be reapplying for their positions are:

• Board of Adjustments and Appeals: Flip Burleson (deceased), Mallory Kollaja and Tina Groseclose.

• Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: John Krampitz, Sharon Grumbles and Eleah Garrett.

• Planning and Zoning Commission: Craig Scott, Nick Lorette, Michael Dayon and Chad Shimaitis.

• Recreational Development Corporation: Bruce Clark and Joan Holt.

• Nature Preserve Technical Advisory Board: Rosario Martinez, Jace Tunnell and Kathleen Swanson.

• Library Board: Rick Kalke and Carolee Crider.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.