Left In Lowell

At last week’s City Council meeting, CC Kevin Broderick introduced a motion that requested that the “City Manager report/recommend on adding alternates to additional City Boards.”

Perhaps the CM can use this motion and the approval of the full CC to enhance the pool of candidates. A couple of months ago, CC F. Descoteaux “Requested the Manager Provide a Comprehensive List of City Boards/Commissions & Details Procedure for Appointing New Members.”

The CM provided that list with a full description. The six page memo is still available on line.

In his reply, the CM writes:

The City of Lowell currently has over twenty Board, Commissions and Advisory Bodies charged with performing the critical role of informing the public and its officials about important and complex issues. These bodies provide citizens a valuable opportunity for civic engagement. In turn, they lend they lend their invaluable expertise, interest and knowledge to the function of government. Board and commission vacancies routinely treated in similar fashion to job openings…

Interested applicants are vetted for appropriate qualifications and appointed by the City Manager and approved by the City Council if necessary, however, not all appointments require City Council approval. The specific statutes are referenced on-line. Residents are also encouraged to send in resumes and letters of interest even when there are no immediate vacancies as seats are always opening. It is the goal of this administration provide opportunity for engagement across the broad spectrum of the community. (my emphasis)

And for the most part, the membership of the Boards and Commissions do reflect the City of Lowell. But IMHO the three major boards, the regulatory ones, certainly could use a sprinkling of the “broad spectrum of the community.” The individuals serving on the ZBA, Planning and Licensing Boards are capable and bring some level of knowledge and talent. I find the three chairs to run professional, civil and respectful meetings. Having said all that, we can always improve. So perhaps in the implementation of the “alternate program” we can also begin a recruitment-mentoring campaign so that we have Lowell’s rich diversity reflected in the membership of those three boards.