Bailey Thompson | News Editor
For anyone interested in expanding their leadership experience or giving back to their city, one option can be found as near as Main Street. The City of Monmouth has 10 Boards and Commissions, all of which Western students are eligible to serve on.
Phyllis Bolman, Monmouth City Recorder, shared that this opportunity is one that the city would be happy to have students involved with. However, Bolman fears that many college students don’t know that these groups exist, or they don’t know that there aren’t any specific restrictions for applicants based on age or qualification.
“(Students) have always been able to, but getting the word out is the hard part,” said Bolman.
Amongst the possible Boards and Commissions that students can apply to be a part of, some of the options include the Arts & Culture Commission, the Library Board, Monmouth Engaged Community Gathering Committee, University/Community Connections Committee and the Senior Advisory Board.
One of the benefits about being on any of these boards is that there is a relatively low time commitment involved.
“Most of our boards and commissions meet once a month for an hour … Traffic safety is once a quarter for an hour, so it’s pretty minimal,” said Bolman. “This is just putting your toe in the water a little bit, but it still gives you a feeling for what it’s like.”
While a number of the Boards and Commissions listed say that the positions are two or three-year terms, Bolman stated that this is not something students should worry about if they are wanting to apply.
“They don’t have to be here for the three years, honestly. We do have turn-over because some people move or pass away,” said Bolman.
Reflecting on some of the benefits of students being involved in these various groups, Bolman shared that having younger voices is valuable because it provides a distinct outlook that could be missing.
“It gives the people already on the board a different perspective, bringing in somebody different with a different way of looking at things,” said Bolman.
Scott McClure, Monmouth City Manager, also chimed in that taking advantage of this kind of opportunity can have a number of benefits for students as well.
“I think this is a good leadership opportunity. That’s a huge one,” said McClure. “If you go out and you’re working your way towards applying for scholarships or a job, and you’ve actively participated in a city committee, you’ve set policy, you’ve made decisions and participated; I’d play that up.”
If anyone would like to learn more about any of the Boards or Commissions or apply for one of them, there is both additional information and applications on the City of Monmouth’s website, monmouth.municipalcms.com. They can also contact Bolman at pbolman@ci.monmouth.or.us if they have any questions.
Completed applications can either be emailed to Bolman or turned in physically at Monmouth City Hall.
Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu
Photo courtesy of Bailey Thompson
