By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to volunteer more, the City and Borough of Sitka may have the job for you.
City Clerk Sara Peterson said 11 volunteers are needed to bring six city boards, committees and commissions up to a full complement of members.
For months the lack of a quorum has prevented one commission – Health Needs and Human Services – from holding a meeting.
The city has a total of 16 boards, committees and commissions whose members are community volunteers who serve without compensation. They meet regularly on their particular area of city business, and make recommendations to the Assembly.
Sometimes the Assembly refers an issue to a panel to take public comment or to research an issue and report back. All board and commission meetings are open to the public.
Assembly member Kevin Mosher said the boards and commissions provide the public with a good opportunity to get involved and be of service.
“There’s freedom to explore ideas at the commission level, and help the Assembly with some of the heavy lifting,” he said.
There are vacancies on the boards and commissions at any given time, but Peterson said the most pressing need right now is to fill four empty seats on the Health Needs and Human Services Commission. The commission is down to three members, and has not been able to convene a meeting since the resignation of the fourth member in August.
Tristan Guevin has been a member of the commission since 2021, and is currently the acting chair. He said the lack of a quorum means some important issues are not being addressed, including finalizing the Sitka Health Equity Report and making recommendations to the Assembly on childcare.
The commission ideally would like “anyone who is passionate about and cares about health-related issues in Sitka,” he said. “In the past we’ve had good members from across the community.”
Guevin is a former member of the Assembly and currently serves on the Sitka School Board.
He said the Health Needs and Human Services Commission works with a number of groups and nonprofits to collect data and information for recommendations to the Assembly on policies and programs. The group meets once a month.
Among the other city committees with vacancies are the Animal Hearing Board, the Library Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, Parks and Recreation Committee and Tree and Landscape Committee. Half of them have more than one open position.
Most of the panels meet once a month on a regular schedule, and some only as needed, such as the Building Appeals Board and the Animal Hearing Board. Meetings are scheduled at various times of day, but always on weekdays.
Vacancies are posted on the city website, and Peterson announces them at the end of Assembly meetings, as she will tonight.
“I do think boards and commissions are valuable because you have people from all walks of life at the table who see things through different perspectives, who come together for a common goal to continue to improve the community,” Peterson said.
Those interested fill out an application, and the Assembly makes appointments at its regular meetings. The application asks whether the applicant is registered to vote, and length of residency, but there are no requirements on either.
The application asks for a letter of interest and a resume, but those are also not required, the clerk said. Applications are available at cityofsitka.com under “Boards & Commissions.” More information is available from the clerk’s office at 907-747-1811.
