The Town has several vacancies on Town committees that need to be filled. I’m spotlighting a few of the volunteer opportunities the Town is most actively recruiting for, and sharing an updated list of all of the openings.
On the Town’s vacancy list, three committees have open seats specifically designated for a representative from the Recreation Commission. And the Town’s latest newsletter shows that the commission is still seeking volunteers to fill two openings (even though it isn’t on the Town’s list of vacancies). You can read more about the openings in my July 1st post here.
At the July 16th Select Board Meeting, Chair Kathy Cook highlighted three different committees that she believed were especially in need of volunteers.
The Economic Development Committee currently only has three members. Cook stated, “we’re trying to find people are interested in truly promoting the business climate in Southborough”.
Southborough’s 300th anniversary is coming up in 2027. The Tricentennial Committee is working to get ready to plan public celebrations. One of the two openings is designated for a veteran. You can read more about the committee’s work here.
She also highlighted the need for someone on the Personnel Board with a background in Human Resources. (That volunteer would be selected by Town Moderator Paul Cimino.)
It’s also a good time to remind that the Southborough School Committee and Select Board will vote on September 11th to fill a vacancy on the School Committee. Letters of interest are due to the Superintendent by 4:00 p, on Friday, August 23, 2024. For more details, click here.
Including those openings, there are over 30 real* opportunities to serve on Town Committees. (Unless otherwise noted, members are appointed by the Select Board):
- 21 Highland Future Use Committee – 2 seats
- Recreation Commission Representative
- Citizen-at-large
- Advisory Committee (Appointed by the Moderator)
- Cable Television Committee – 2 seats
- Community Preservation Committee – 3 seats
- Recreation Commission Representative (plus 2 other reps)**
- Conservation Commission – 2 seats (read more from their notice last year here)
- Economic Development Committee – 2 seats
- Golf Course Committee
- Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) – 2 seats – (Appointed by the Planning Board)
- Metropolitan Area Planning Council
- Open Space Preservation Commission
- Personnel Board (Appointed by the Moderator)
- Recreation Commission – 2 seats
- School Committee (Appointed by combined vote of the School Committee & Select Board) (read more here)
- Southborough Cultural Arts Council – 2 seats (read more here)
- Southborough Public Accessibility Committee
- Southborough Scholarship Advisory Committee – 2 seats
- Southborough Stewardship Committee – 2 seats
- Recreation Commission Representative
- Citizen-at-large
- Southborough Trails Committee
- Taxation Aid Committee
- Tricentennial Committee – 2 seats
- Veteran
- Citizen-at-large
- Youth Commission
For all of the Town’s positions, to express your interest, complete the form on the Town’s website here. You can also learn more about the opportunities by reading their sections of the Town website (here), recent agendas & minutes (here), and viewing meetings that were captured on video (here).
*I didn’t include The PILOT Committee and SHOPC vacancies, since those seats are being phased out. (The Select Board will ask Special Town Meeting vote to reduce the number of PILOT seats from 7 to 5 members and to replace SHOPC with a new committee that is being merged with the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Committee.) I also didn’t include the Southborough Housing Authority vacancy since it is up to the State to make that appointment.
**And, finally, I didn’t include vacancies that are designated to be representatives from other committees that don’t have any current vacancies of their own.
You can learn more about the committees through links to their website pages here, which includes their responsibilities and links to recent agendas and minutes. For many, you can also view past meetings here.
Again, to apply for any of the above open seats, click here.
(image of hand from public domain image by Karen Arnold)
