Ask Eric: How can I get more involved in our community?

Eric Wellman is a former two-term First Selectman, one-term Simsbury Selectman, happy husband and dad, and enthusiastic cheerleader for all things Simsbury! Keep up to date with what’s happening in Simsbury on his popular Facebook page, Eric’s Best of the ‘Bury.

It’s that time of the year. Days are short. Cookies are (a little too) plentiful. And resolutions are coming together.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about time – our most precious, non-renewable resource. After six years of elected service, I am no longer part of our local government, which has done wonders for the white space on my calendar. It’s also got me thinking about how I want to invest that time in the new year.

My time involved in our local government has been, by far, the most rewarding part of my professional life and I’m thinking about staying engaged by joining a local board or commission. That is something I would encourage anyone to consider who is interested in getting more involved in this wonderful place we call home.

The Town of Simsbury has more than two-dozen boards and commissions that are part of our local government. Some are elected. Others are appointed by the Board of Selectmen. This article focuses on appointed boards.

Appointed boards are diverse. From public safety (Police Commission), to the environment (Clean Energy Task Force & Open Space Committee), to affordability (Fair Rent Commission), to shaping our town’s sense of place (Historic District Commission & Design Review Board). There are many, many more! You can view all opportunities on the Town Clerk’s website.

So you found a board that looks interesting to you. How do you get appointed? Well, that depends. If you are a registered Democrat or Republican, you’ve got the easiest path. Reach out and express your interest to either the Democratic Town Committee or the Republican Town Committee. They are always looking for volunteers to serve and your outreach will be welcome!

The Town Committees share their recommended appointments with the Board of Selectmen, who then make the appointment official. There may not be a current opening on the board or commission you’re most interested in, but I always recommend reaching out and making your interest known.

Even though the political parties are involved in most of the appointments, I want to underscore how non-partisan most of our boards and commissions are. Even on most of our elected boards, you often don’t know who is a Democrat and who is a Republican. That’s the way it should be!

If you are, like me, not registered with any political party (unaffiliated), getting appointed to a board or commission is a bit trickier, but not impossible. There are some committees that have spots specifically designated for unaffiliated (U) residents (Police Commission, Technology Task Force, and Open Space Committee come to mind). There are other committees where the political parties aren’t involved in the appointment process, such as the Fair Rent Commission. These committees that don’t involve the political parties can be a great opportunity for U’s to get appointed.

If I’m a U, who do I reach out to?

1) You can still reach out to the Democratic and Republican parties. They sometimes do recommend U’s for appointment. I have found the Republican Town Committee has been more willing than the Democratic Town Committee in putting U’s up to serve.

2) Fill out a New Volunteer Form on the Town website. These forms will be forwarded to both political parties and also kept on file for when the Town Manager or Board of Selectmen is looking to fill a specific vacancy.

As you’re thinking about how you want to invest your time, I hope you keep our community in mind. I am amazed by the willingness of people to give back to our town in the currency of time and talent. And my goodness, we have some amazing residents.

I wish you a very happy New Year and, who knows, maybe we can serve together for the benefit of our community. See you on a board soon!

A guide to getting appointed