Want to be on the city’s new Community Involvement Commission?

When the mayor announced last summer that he was cutting city support for Neighborhood District Councils, he promised to create a citywide Community Involvement Commission. Half a year later, the call for members has finally just gone out:

Mayor Edward Murray and Seattle City Council are seeking community members to serve on the City’s new Community Involvement Commission (CIC). Created by Executive Order 2016-06 and established by ordinance last November, this Commission will advise the City on policies and strategies to advance equitable public engagement and civic participation.

“All residents, including those representing under-represented and under-served communities must have the opportunity to participate in the City’s decision making and planning processes, “said Mayor Murray. “This new commission will guide the City’s efforts to create policies and initiatives that are more inclusive for residents. If Seattle is to become a more equitable place for all, we must bring more voices at the table to ensure that we are representative of Seattle’s diversity.”

The 16-member commission was created by an Executive Order issued by Mayor Murray to advise the City on priorities, policies, and strategies related to equitable civic engagement and public participation in City decision-making processes. It will also provide feedback on the development of City departments’ community involvement plans.

“The Community Involvement Commission will provide an opportunity for residents across Seattle to weigh in on the most effective ways to engage in the political process,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess. “City government is most effective when we include a diverse array of experiences and prioritize equitable representation and inclusion in our decision-making processes.”

The Board will be composed of 16 members – seven appointed by City Council (by Council District) and seven appointed by the Mayor with one of his appointments reserved for a young adult through the Get Engaged program. The final two members will be selected by the Commission once established. All the appointments are subject to City Council confirmation.

Initially, the Commission will meet monthly at Seattle City Hall. Commissioners will serve without compensation and must commit approximately 3-6 hours per month to Commission business.

If you are interested in being considered, complete the online application by Wednesday, March 1 by 5 pm. If you cannot submit the application online, contact Seattle Department of Neighborhoods at 206-684-0464 and an application will be mailed to you or you can pick one up at its office (Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, 4th floor) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. If mailing the application, it must be postmarked by March 1. Mail it to: Tom Van Bronkhorst, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, PO Box 94649, Seattle, WA 98124-4649. Translated online and paper versions of the application in Korean, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese are available.

For more information or questions, contact Tom Van Bronkhorst at (206) 233-3954 or email NewDON@seattle.gov. You can also learn more about the Community Involvement Commission on our website.

The City of Seattle is committed to promoting diversity in the city’s boards and commissions. Women, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, young persons, senior citizens, persons of color, and immigrants are encouraged to apply.

Mark Schletty February 2, 2017 (12:51 pm)

What a joke. Citizen involvement representatives have to be selected by the citizens, not the politicians, to have any legitimacy at all. This commission is a shill to rubberstamp what the mayor wants done, somewhat akin to what the Trumpster is doing to us in Washington.

acemotel February 2, 2017 (1:07 pm)

what Mark Schletty said, absolutely. They already have hundreds of citizens, who have decades of valuable experience, who could “advise the City on policies and strategies to advance equitable public engagement and civic participation.” This is just too much like our current federal government.

Jort Sandwich February 2, 2017 (2:54 pm)

You know, a lot of people just moved to Seattle within the last few years. Maybe the city is looking to hear more from them and not exclusively from the good ole’ boys clubs at the neighborhood associations?

“Decades of valuable experience” is cool and all, but it doesn’t represent our diverse community very well. Sorry.
- Alan February 2, 2017 (5:03 pm)
  
  I’ve been to multiple neighborhood council meetings over the last 30 years. The doors were always open and everyone was welcome. It is not easy to get people away from their home, family and whatever else they might prefer to do on meeting nights. Don’t blame those that choose to show up.
  
  Whenever the city looks for input, they have already decided what they are going to do. They just want everyone to say “thank you” and sign off on it. Usually, by the time citizens realize this, it is too late to do anything. Having a small hand-picked group will just make it so much easier for them. We citizens can be so disruptive.

AmandaK(H) February 2, 2017 (2:46 pm)

You cannot commission community involvement.

ltfd February 2, 2017 (4:08 pm)

If you apply, make sure to NOT mention: owning a home, being married, being a working taxpayer, and careful consider reporting your “race” (skin color).

Steve February 3, 2017 (3:54 am)

And that you thought pronto was a serious waste of our tax dollars!

JanS February 2, 2017 (4:42 pm)

Out of 4 people commenting above me, I know one who is involved with her community…Amanda. What about the rest of you…you’re griping here….what do you contribute?

JanS February 2, 2017 (4:43 pm)

excuse me…5 people posting above….

Mark February 2, 2017 (6:32 pm)

Hand picked by the Mayor and Council is not community involvement, I think the term rubber stamp applies. As a long time WS resident it feels like it’s the mayor’s way or the bikeway (highway).

Dan Sanchez February 2, 2017 (9:46 pm)

Each City Council District will get 1 appointment person who will replace the Neighborhood District Councils. In District 3 we have 2 Neighborhood District Councils. What that means is that a single appointed commission member will be replacing 30 people. Doesn’t sound very inclusive to me.

Sorry, comment time is over.