Volunteering in Chapel Hill.  How many times have you griped about some situation in the town of Chapel Hill?  How many times have you thought about volunteering on one of the 17 standing advisory boards in Chapel Hill?

These two questions go hand in hand.  Currently, there are 17 advisory boards with 175 positions which the Town Council tries to fill every year.

The town has struggled to find people to fill positions on many of these boards including the Storm Water Management Utility Advisory Board, Personnel Appeal Committee, and the Historic District Commission which I currently serve on.  The advisory boards range from the Cemetery Advisory Board to the Planning Commission, to Community Design Commission, and the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board.  And many in between.

Another significant issue with respect to the membership in these advisory boards is a lack of applicants from the black, Hispanic, and Asian communities among others.  This has been a long-term problem which has continually perplexed the Town Council.

Step up and volunteer.  Why this malaise among citizens of Chapel Hill?  I would contend that if more citizens took the time to volunteer, the town would be a better place for it.  With over 60,000 residents, one would think that it would not be difficult to identify 175 people who could volunteer.

So, get off your proverbial backside and search for Chapel Hill advisory board applications on the web.  There you will find an application for any of the various boards.  Make a difference.  Apply today.

 

— Alan Rimer

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