Olympia announces upcoming vacancies on boards and commissions

Olympia will open its application period for boards and commissions for 2023 starting in October, according to Strategic Communications Director Kellie Purce Braseth who spoke at the Community Livability and Public Safety meeting yesterday.

Braseth said there are currently eight vacant positions on various Olympia boards and commissions. She added there are 25 board members and commissioners whose terms are expiring in 2023:

• Arts Commission – five commissioners' terms are expiring next year. Braseth said everyone is seeking reappointment.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee – one vacant position and three committee members' terms expire in 2023. "Everyone that is expiring is either stepping off. We are seeking four positions," she said.
• Design Review – two members' terms expiring
• Heritage Commission – three commissioners' terms are expiring
• Lodging Tax Advisory Committee – one vacant position; one member's term expiring
• Olympia Metropolitan Parks District – has one seat expiring
• Parks Recreation Advisory Committee – has three members' terms expiring. Two are interested in reappointment.
• Planning Commission – has three members' terms expiring
• Social Justice and Equity Commission – two members' terms expire in 2023 but both express interest in reappointment. Braseth said one member had stepped off because of time commitment.
• Utility Advisory Commission – has two standing vacancies; three members' terms are expiring and two of them are interested in reappointment
• Use of Force Board – two vacancies.

"It looks like most of the boards and commissions will have some vacancy," Braseth said.

Home Fund Committee is disbanding

The communications director informed the committee that the city Home Fund committee is disbanding in a couple of months. Accordingly, the vacancy on that committee is not being filled.

Relaying the information from Home Fund manager Darian Lightfoot, Braseth said Thurston County and Olympia are combining and creating a Home Fund advisory committee. They will be reforming with city and county representatives.

Olympia City Manager Jay Burney said they are still in the inter-local agreement negotiation between the county and the city on the combined Home Fund advisory. "We are still negotiating [the agreement]. I hope to have that in front of the council in the next 30 days."