Participation strong on town commissions

WINSTED — While there have been a few minor disagreements on the Board of Selectmen since the November 2009 elections, the general spirit has been one of bipartisanship and active participation. That sentiment is evident during the board’s bimonthly review of boards and commissions.

“We haven’t had any trouble at all getting volunteers,†said Selectman Lisa Smith, who co-chairs the Board of Selectmen’s subcommittee on boards and commissions. “We’ve been really lucky with people stepping forward.â€

Smith said there have been very few vacancies on town boards and that open seats are generally easy to fill with interested community members.

With four Democrats and three Republicans on the Board of Selectmen, members of the public might expect to see more debate over who is nominated to boards, but the process has gone smoothly, Smith said. “Most of the votes have been unanimous,†she said.

At their most recent meeting April 19, the Board of Selectmen accepted the nomination of former Selectman Barbara Wilkes, a Democrat, to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Republicans on the board did not put forward a candidate of their own. A vote on Wilkes’ appointment will be taken at the Board of Selectmen’s next regular meeting, May 3.

The customary process for nominating commission members has been for either Smith or subcommittee co-chairman Karen Beadle to bring names forward. Residents typically contact board members or the town manager’s office if they are interested in serving on a commission. Board members vote to accept a nomination and then vote on the appointment at the following meeting.

“Right now we have an opening on the Ethics Board and we’re looking for someone with a little bit of legal experience,†Smith said. “Anyone interested can send me an e-mail through the town Web site or they can contact the town manager’s office.â€

Smith said anyone interested in serving on any other commission is also encouraged to speak up, even if there is not a current opening.

“What I do is keep names on file, and if an opening becomes available we will let them know,†she said. “Everyone has a chance. If three people come forward for a position, I put everyone’s name forward.â€

Smith announces vacancies on town boards and commissions at each Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Winsted residents can see who currently serves on each board by visiting townofwinchester.org, clicking on “Government†at the top of the page and then clicking “Commissions†on the left side of the page. E-mail addresses for all selectmen are also included on the Government page.