Clearer, more detailed info now available for Naperville residents who want to serve on boards, commissions
New guidelines for Naperville residents who want to apply for vacancies on one of the city’s volunteer boards and commissions have been put together to make the process clearer and easier to understand.
are aimed at shedding light on the mayoral appointment process with a goal of encouraging more residents to apply for vacancies on municipal advisory boards and commissions.
Recently released by Mayor Scott Wehrli, the city’s 17-page Boards and Commissions Guide outlines when vacancies become available, how residents can apply for them, what various groups do, and what is expected and what to expect if you’re appointed to one of them.
The guide comes in the wake of a 10-month study done by the League of Women Voters of Naperville, released this spring, which concluded the process of filling vacancies was “not sufficiently open and transparent.” The group urged the newly elected mayor and council to revise the way appointments before new appointments were made to the city’s 19 boards and commissions
League President Susan Craighead said her group is pleased the study inspired the city to take a close look at the appointment process.
Detailed information on the website and in the guide makes the openings, expectations and the application process more understandable and accessible, Craighead said.
Naperville has more than 250 volunteer positions that tackle a variety of subjects, including disabilities, human rights and fair housing, traffic and transportation, city finances, the library, development, building construction, pensions, liquor and tobacco controls, Naper Settlement, the Riverwalk, special events and the arts, pensions and municipal utilities.
By including descriptions of each, potential applicants can determine which board or commission might be the right fit for them.
Applicants must live within the city limits and are allowed to submit an application for up to three boards. They can be submitted when a vacancy occurs and is advertised on the city’s website or for future vacancies when they become available.
To fill a position, the mayor reviews the applications he has on hand and may reach out to others in the community who have the needed credentials and may be interested in serving.
The mayor also will interview selected candidates, evaluating each on interest, experience, specific skills and diversity, taking into account geography, age, gender, race/ethnicity and culture. Council liaisons, department directors and staff liaisons may be included in the interview and appointment process.
Data collected from current board and commission members shows 76% are white, 16% Asian, 6% Black, and 2% Hispanic or Latino. By comparison, U.S. Census figures show 70% of Naperville residents are white, 21% are Asian, 7% Hispanic or Latino, and 4% Black.
Craighead also said it’s the league’s hope that the diversity, equity and inclusion data will encourage a variety of people to apply, “while reminding the community of the importance of diversity in our city.”
While the mayor recommends the selection, it must be approved by the council and he is expected to provide information on possible appointees to council members at least two weeks before the vote is held. Council members can request to view applications at any time.
“We strongly support the ability of council members to see submitted applications with enough lead time to review them,” Craighead said. “More importantly, allowing City Council members to request to see submitted applications at any time enhances transparency.”
The only exception is the Liquor Commission, members of which are appointed by the mayor and do not require council approval. The mayor serves as the commission’s chair.
To assist possible people in deciding if they want to apply, the guide details the estimated time commitment needed to prepare for and attend meetings as well any special skills that might be required.
For example, members of the Building Review Board, which looks at city building codes, will need to have a general understanding of building construction.
The time commitment is the lowest among the advisory groups that meet less than three times a year for up to an hour each session. Members can expect to spend about an hour reviewing materials before meetings.
The Planning and Zoning Commission, which meets twice a month, is probably the most demanding of the appointed groups. Its meetings can last for as long as four hours, depending on the complexity of the cases being reviewed.
Besides an hour of reviewing documents before a meeting, planning and zoning commissioners are encouraged to visit the applicants’ properties beforehand.
The guide notes that knowledge of land use, building construction, architecture, real estate and code application are helpful skills to have, although not mandatory.
