City of Laurens seeks volunteer board, commission members

Laurens, South Carolina – The City of Laurens is seeking city residents who are interested in filling four different volunteer commissions, and it hopes to have all applications in by June 1, said Planning and Development Director Madison Workman.
“In March council gave City Administrator Eric Delgado the authority to restructure all the three boards and council established a new one, and some of the previous board members are applying for their positions, some are taking a break and others are trying out new ones,” Workman said, “but I still have plenty of openings to fill this month.”
Boards and commissions for cities are strictly volunteer, Workman said, but play an important role in an advisory capacity as assistance for various city departments.
One of the goals of the restructuring was to make sure the boards have adequate board member term requirements so members know what to expect, Workman said.
Boards may hear appeals, provide expertise, advocate and advise the administration on their various topics.
There are still openings in each of the four boards, which include the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the newest, City Roads Advisory Committee.
It’s helpful to have members with some expertise in these areas, Workman said, but it’s not limited by experience as long as the volunteers are willing to go through the needed training and participate in discussions about once a month or as the need arises.
The Historic Preservation Commission oversees the city’s historic district, which is in the process of being expanded, Workman said.
“They will provide feedback and review applications for the Bailey Bill and renovation requests,” Workman said.
The Planning Commission oversees zoning ordinance requests for changes and makes appropriate recommendations to Laurens City Council, Workman said. They would discuss requests for changes in zoning districts, annexation requests and subdivision applications and make recommendations.
The Board of Zoning Appeals would not necessarily meet as often but specifically would address those rare circumstances when there are appeals or discrepancies, Workman said.
The City Roads Advisory Committee will be comprised of nominees from each ward in the city and will provide city administration with input regarding the maintenance of city-owned roads.
Applications can be found under the “Permits and Forms” link on the city’s website, www.cityoflaurenssc.com, or city residents can come by City Hall and pick up a hard copy, Workman said.
“Again, it can be helpful and definitely helps the conversations when they have some sort of professional experience but it’s not essential,” Workman said. “If somebody has a passion to serve the community and is willing to learn about how these processes work, they can make great board and commission members.”

This story originally ran on Page 5 of the May 3 issue of The Laurens County Advertiser.