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There are more than a dozen potential openings on various West St. Paul committees and commissions. These are boards of community members who step up to serve and help get the work of the city done. Applications are due December 31 and appointments will be made in the coming months.
“Serving on a West St. Paul commission or committee is one of the best ways a resident can help shape our city,” says Dan Nowicki the marketing and communications manager for the City of West St. Paul. “This upcoming batch of appointments will help guide West St. Paul towards success for years to come.“
If you applied before December 2019, you’ll need to reapply.
Current Openings
A number of terms are up for incumbent members, which presents an opportunity to appoint new members (or reappoint the incumbent):
- Charter Commission: One commissioner’s term expired this year and didn’t apply for reappointment. Three more expire in February 2021, though they will likely re-apply and be appointed in January.
- Environmental Committee: Three terms expire in March 2021.
- Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee: With one resignation in 2020 and four set to expire in March 2021, five seats will be open.
- Planning Commission: Four terms expire in March.
- Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization: Need one alternate member.
We’ve previously explored what the various committees do and how appointments work. The appointment process varies by committee. Charter Commission tends to appoint their own members. Planning Commission is nominated by the mayor and approved by City Council. Environmental Committee and Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee are appointed by City Council.
In many cases incumbents are reappointed if they apply, but not always. It depends on who is doing the appointing.
Apply Now
Residents can apply online. Applications are accepted year round, but are due by December 31 for this current round of consideration.
“The City Council and staff rely on our commissions and committees for valuable input directly from our residents on projects and plans,” says Nowicki. “While it’s important for the city to use the expertise of professionals, hearing the needs and wants of the residents is just as valuable as the technical perspective when looking at proposals and planning what the future of West St. Paul will look like.”
What’s it like to serve? See our interviews with committee members for more:
- Charter Commission: Mark Tessmer
- Environmental Committee: Kristy Otte
- Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee: Mike Petrasek
- Planning Commission: Morgan Kavanaugh
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West St. Paul Reader 