Don't Just Vote. Serve On A City Board!
One thing is clear every election season: Winter Park voters are passionate about their city. Emotions run high even when turnout is low.
But turnout shows civic pride, so do your research and get ready, Winter Parkers. If you’re not voting by mail or voting early this week, show up at your polling place on March 8.
Better yet, demonstrate even more civic pride by volunteering to serve on one of Winter Park’s two dozen advisory boards and commissions. It’s a guaranteed way to make a difference in how the city conducts its business. Volunteers are always needed and some openings will need to be filled as soon as this month.
If you’re interested, click here and take a look at your options. Boards and commissions have different levels of responsibility. Some, such as the Parks and Recreation Board, are purely advisory. They may recommend policy and budgets. Others, such as the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustments, have quasi-judicial responsibilities similar to those in a court of law. Still others, like the Nuisance Abatement Board, have the power to levy fines against code violators.
When you’ve found a board that fits your interests, work experience and/or education, click on the “Apply” option in the upper right-hand corner of the boards page and complete the application form. Don’t delay. Picking board appointees will be among the first duties of a newly elected commissioner at the March 23 commission meeting.
The board appointment process changed two years ago when voters approved changes in the city charter. For a period of time prior to that, the city’s mayor made all appointments. Now, the mayor appoints three people to the seven-member boards and each of the four commissioners makes one appointment per board. Appointments take into consideration an applicant’s specialized knowledge and experience.
Thank you for such an excellent reminder of the many opportunities to serve. I have forwarded your article to several smart, energetic, educated young adults in our community encouraging them to consider volunteering to serve. These 25 – 30 yr. old residents can bring new ideas to our government helping to shape Winter Park and preserving our beautiful city for the next generation.
Thank you, Winter Park Voice, because local government is so important!
Today, Winter Park City Commission candidates brought their dog and pony show to the elite Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida.
The debate was not open to the public.
The cost to of membership in Tiger Bay Club is $425.
The cost to attend today’s debate for those who are not Tiger Bay Club members was $40.
Residents should be asking Winter Park candidates, why, with only three days remaining until Election Day, if the outcome of the election depends on RESIDENT votes, why would candidates choose to spend today with NON RESIDENTS – the political elite of Orange County?
Who decides Winter Park elections?
The residents?
Or the political elite?
https://tigerbayclub.org/corporate-membership-2/
Tiger Bay Club forum. This is an argument that we regularly hear at Tiger Bay. I was the moderator at Friday’s candidate forum, and I was pleased to see that there were a lot of attendees who were not regular Tiger Bay members. Yes, we are a political club. And we spend money to both rent meeting locations and serve lunch., so yes, we have membership dues. To call our club the “political elite” betrays an ignorance of who make up our membership. Our candidate forum was simply another chance for those interested in Winter Park’s future to hear from the candidates–it was far from the public’s only opportunity to hear from them. I appreciated all of the candidates attending and participating in the discussion.