Deputy City Clerk Sue Wanzer said the vacancies are not only ways for people living in town to serve the community, but opportunities for students to get involved with the community as well.
“Most meetings last an hour,” Wanzer said. “With some work outside of the meeting, the commitment is about four hours a month.”
Wanzer said since students obtain a Bloomington address while they are at IU, residency requirements to be part of most boards and commissions are filled.
Beverly Calender-Anderson, the Community and Family Resources director, said being involved with the city is a good way to make connections.
“It helps you be a part of the community,” Calender-Anderson said. “We are a bridge between the city and the community.”
Calender-Anderson said she had recently talked with a group of undergraduate students and encouraged them to get involved.
“I told them, ‘We really would like for you to do this,’” Calender-Anderson said. “It’s not as daunting as it seems.”
Most appointments to the boards or commissions are for two years. But the vacancies available right now have come from individuals who were unable to fulfill their entire two-year commitment, meaning an applicant may hold the position until January 2016 or January 2017. Calender-Anderson said she estimated it would take a year to fully learn the ins and outs of being a board member.
The current openings are only representative of a selection of boards and commissions that work out of City Hall to reach the community. Calender-Anderson said she thought the diversity of commissions was indicative of the attitude city government displays in regard to community relations.
“Bloomington is a unique place,” Calender-Anderson said. “I think the amount of commissions says, ‘As a city administration, we do recognize that everyone’s voice should be heard.’”
For applications and a full list of vacancies, visit http://www.bloomington.in.gov/clerk.
