Westfield Needs Help, Will You Answer The Call?

WESTFIELD, NJ - Those interested in volunteering their talents to help serve Westfield have until Dec. 14 to volunteer for open board and commission seats.

For appointment consideration to a Town of Westfield board or commission for 2019, submit a volunteer form at www.westfieldnj.gov/volunteertoday.

A complete list of Town of Westfield Boards, Commissions and Committees description is below.

Board of Adjustment

• Appointed by Town Council
• 7 Members and 2 Alternates
• 4-year term - members; 2-year term - alternates
• Meets once a month on the second Monday at 7:30 pm in Council Chambers unless otherwise noticed.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment is primarily responsible for hearing and deciding appeals from decisions of the zoning officer, hearing and deciding requests for interpretation of the zoning map and zoning ordinance, and authorizing relief from the zoning ordinance in the form of bulk variances (e.g. setback, front yard, side yard, rear yard and building height), use variances, density variances, expansion of non- conforming use variances and conditional use variances.

Board of Architectural Review

• Appointed by Mayor/Council Consent
• 3-year term (5 members – advisory to Planning Board and Board Adjustment)
• Meets once a month on the last Monday or as needed.

Serves as an advisory board to the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment and is generally responsible for the review of exterior architectural design and proposed plan of structures to promote and protect the general health, safety and general welfare of the community.

Board of Health

• Appointed by Mayor/Council Consent
• 7 member & 2 alternates
• 4-year term - members; 2 year term - alternates
• Meets once a month on the first Monday of month at 5:30 pm in the Mayor’s Conference Room in Town Hall.

The Board of Health was established pursuant to Title 26 of New Jersey's statutes, to enforce state and local regulations regarding sanitation, pollution, communicable diseases, and other public health concerns. The board is empowered to pass, alter, or amend public health ordinances, and to enforce local and state sanitary codes and other public health legislation of the state and federal governments.

Historic Preservation Commission

• Mayor Appointment/Council Consent
• 9 Members and 2 Alternates
• 4-year term - members 2-year term - alternates
• Meets once a month on the last Monday at 8:00 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room at Town Hall.

To designate and regulate historic sites and historic districts within the Town consistent with and pursuant to authority granted under the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.

Insurance Advisory Board

• Appointed by Mayor
• 5 members
• 3-year term
• Meets as needed

The board shall review the method of insurance procurement for the Town of Westfield, the status and qualifications of agents and markets, and the provisions of the insurance policies of the town and shall act in an advisory capacity to the mayor and the council and make appropriate recommendations in connection with insurance matters.

Investment Council

• Appointed by Mayor
• 5 Members
• 1-year term
• Meets as needed

The Investment Council will be tasked with assisting the Finance Committee and the CFO in evaluating 1) options for cash management/short and long-term investments and 2) bond issuance.

Planning Board

• Mayoral Appointment
• 9 Members and 2 Alternates
• 4-year term - members; 2-year term - alternates
• Meets once a month on the first Monday in Council Chambers at Town Hall unless otherwise noticed.

The Planning Board is responsible for preparing the Master Plan in compliance with provisions of the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) and is responsible for reviewing zoning ordinances referred to them by the Mayor and Council.

Rahway Valley Sewage Authority

• Mayoral appointment (Financial, legal, engineering or environmental background a +)
• Meets the 2nd and 3rd Thursday of each month
• Must be resident of Westfield
• Term expires February 1, 2020

Westfield is one of the founding members of the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority (RVSA) which is an autonomous agency that owns and operates a trunk sewer system and a wastewater treatment facility in Rahway, New Jersey. The RVSA is governed by a Board of Commissioners, which includes one representative from each member municipality. Additionally, Commissioners are responsible for reading all material provided to them in order to be able to make sound decisions based on their knowledge and understanding of issues related to the Authority. All Commissioners are required to take an Oath of Office and to complete a Financial Disclosure Statement with the State of NJ.

Recreation Commission

• Mayor Appointment/Council Consent
• 9 members and 2 Alternates
• 3-year term
• Meets once a month on the first Monday at 8:00 pm in the Recreation Conference Room in Town Hall.

The board of recreation commissioners shall have full control over all lands, playgrounds and recreation places acquired or leased under the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:12 and may adopt a board seal, suitable rules, regulations and bylaws for the use thereof, and the conduct of all persons while on or using the same; and any person who shall violate any of such rules, regulations or bylaws shall be deemed and adjudged to be a disorderly person.

Special and Adaptive Needs Committee

• The mission of the Special and Adaptive Needs Committee is to:
• Research and recommend to the Council methods and ideas to aid and assist residents with special and/or adaptive needs to fully participate in all aspects of community life
• Promote awareness of, and provide programs and opportunities for, individuals with special and/or adaptive needs and their families.

Special Improvement District

• Mayoral Appointment/Council Consent
• 7 members – 2 must be owners of real estate in the district, 2 must operate a business but not own real estate in the district and 2 residents and 1 member of the Town Council or Mayor.
• 3-year term
• Meets once a month, usually the third Monday.

District management corporations may assist municipalities in promoting economic growth and employment within business districts; (2) that municipalities should be encouraged to create self-financing special improvement districts and designated district management corporations to execute self-help programs to enhance their local business climates; and (3) that municipalities should be given the broadest possible discretion in establishing by local ordinance the self-help programs most consistent with their local needs, goals and objectives.

Tech Advisory Council

• The Technology Advisory Council (“TAC”) is dedicated to supporting the Town of Westfield (the “Town”) by leveraging technology by identify opportunities to leverage technology to improve communication, enhance efficiencies and improve service to residents for the Town of Westfield.

Town Hall Events Committee

• The Town Hall Events Committee is dedicated to organizing events at Town Hall to increase community engagement. The committee will look to create a wide range of new events that run the gamut from history and culture to art and food.

Tree Preservation Commission

• Mayor Appointment/Council Consent
• 5 members
• 3-year term
• Meets once a month on the first Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room at Town Hall or as needed.

To promote the general welfare of the people of the town by protecting, regulating, planting and cutting trees in such a way as to preserve the environment in the town and to improve and coordinate the plans for the protection, regulation and planting of trees with the overall environmental plans of the town in cooperation with the federal and state governments.

Westfield Green Team

• 1 year appointment
• Members meet once/month on a date agreed by the team

The Town of Westfield is a member of Sustainable JerseyTM which is a certification and incentive program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. The Westfield Green Team represents a municipality in New Jersey that is registered with Sustainable Jersey. Westfield Green Teams provides the leadership to develop plans, implement programs and assist with educational opportunities that support the creation of a sustainable community.

Westfield Housing Commission

• Mayor Appointment/Council Consent
• 1-year term
• Meets once a month on the first Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room at Town Hall or as needed.

The Westfield Housing Commission shall be responsible for Maintaining a current roster of properties in Westfield eligible for housing rehabilitation grant, lien, and loan programs; (b) Promoting Westfield’s participation in such rehabilitation programs; (c) Providing advice and assistance to residents of Westfield whose homes may be eligible for such rehabilitation programs; and (d) Providing advice to the mayor and council regarding such rehabilitation programs.

• N.B: Experience with COAH a plus.

Westfield Memorial Library

• Mayor Appointment/Council Consent
• 9 members
• 5-year term
• Meets once a month on the third Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Library.

The Library Board of Trustees shall hold in trust and manage all property of the library. It may rent rooms, purchase books, pamphlets, documents, papers and other reading matter, hire librarians, and other necessary personnel, and fix their compensation, make proper rules and regulations for the government of the library, and generally do all things necessary and proper for the establishment and maintenance of the free public library within Westfield.

Union County Solid Waste Advisory Board

• Mayoral Appointment – County Board
• 1-year term
• Attends County Meetings.
• Union County Transportation Advisory Board
• Mayoral Appointment - County Board
• 1-year term Attends County Meetings. – Requires letter of appointment to
• County

The Union County Transportation Advisory Board exists as the local element of the Subregional Transportation Planning Process, as required and authorized by federal regulations, to serve as the principal conduit for local and citizen input into the local transportation planning process, and to serve as the principal non-staff advisor on transportation policy matters to the County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Each municipality in Union County has one representative on the board.

Union County Air Traffic Advisory Board

• Mayoral Appointment – County Board
• 2-year term Attends County Meetings
• Union County Community Development Revenue Sharing Committee
• Mayoral Appointment – County Board
• 1-year term
• Meets once a month on the third Wednesday at the Union County Administration Bldg., 300 North Ave., Westfield.

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

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