Spevak: Want better government? Join a local commission

Most Americans today wish we had better government. Many have lost hope in Washington politicians. Good American government, however, doesn’t start in D.C. It starts locally.

In cities and towns like Los Banos local government consists not just of elected officials but also appointed commissioners. A strong city government should have many people interested in public service eager to serve on commissions. But such is not the case in Los Banos.

Currently there are eight vacancies among four important Los Banos commissions: Parks and Recreation, Tree, Planning and Measure H Oversight. What is unfortunate is that some of these positions have been vacant since the beginning of this year.

It’s not that the city hasn’t tried. It has been posting notices for these commission vacancies since late fall 2020. But Los Banos residents have not applied.

As a result, for example, the Los Banos Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on Jan. 21 had to be canceled because only two of the five commission positions were filled. A quorum for this group requires three commissioners at meeting.

Los Banos city commissions deal with important issues that affect the quality of life in the community, current and future. The planning commission, for example, deals with “future zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations of the City’s Municipal Code.”

The Parks and Recreation Commission for the past year has been suggesting, reviewing and approving ideas for the city’s next Park Master Plan, which describes what parks the city will need for the next 15 years, where the parks are located and what features they’ll have.

The Tree Commission keeps abreast on the planting and maintenance of trees and suggests ways more trees could be planted for the shade and beauty that makes the city a more enjoyable place to live.

The Measure H Oversight Committee reviews, makes recommendations and annually reports on the revenue and expenditure of the funds from Measure H, which helps fund city services like fire and police protection, traffic safety, street and sidewalk repair and park maintenance.

Do any of these functions sound important to a resident’s life and the quality of the city in which they live? I suggest they all do.

When I talk with Los Banosans, I hear them ask, “Why can’t we have better planning for homes and businesses?” or “What can’t we have more parks, trees, and recreational activities?” or “Why isn’t the city spending my tax dollars on what I need?”

If these city commissions work on issues that are so important to residents, why do so few people apply? I think it might be due to several myths.

Myth 1: It takes too much time.

Reality: Commissions don’t meet that often. The Parks and Recreation and Tree Commissions meet only four times a year, and each meeting usually lasts only an hour. The Measure H Oversight Committee is required to meet only twice a year. The Planning Commission takes the most time, meeting twice a month.

Myth 2: It takes a lot of knowledge about Los Banos and its government to serve on a commission.

Reality: From my experience on two city commissions, I found city staff have provided all the information and background on the items staff or commissioners have agendized, and they have answered all questions I’ve had.

Myth 3: It’s hard to apply to be a commissioner.

Reality: The city makes it as easy as possible to apply. An online application can be found on the city’s website, and it takes about 10 minutes to fill out and submit electronically. After submitting an application, the prospective commissioner is scheduled for a brief informal interview with a city official and then notified soon after about their status.

The reality regarding all three of these myths should remove whatever hesitation an ordinary citizen may have about applying and serving.

I’m hoping Los Banos residents from many neighborhoods and cultures will consider applying for the commission of their choice soon. The current application deadline is Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. But if there aren’t enough applicants to fill the available positions, the deadline will be extended, as it has been several times. Even if all positions were filled (unlikely), applications are kept on file for the next opening.

Now is a good time to get involved in your city. Now is the time to take an active part in city government, without having to campaign for an elected office. And the greater diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and ideas within the commissions, the better.

From my experience the mayor and city council persons respect the ideas and recommendations of commissioners. I have often seen how just one commissioner with a good idea has affected the future of Los Banos positively.

If you’re at all interested in the future of your city, I encourage you to at least go the city’s website (www.losbanos.org), check out the commissions and the commission vacancies and see if any of those might appeal to you.

If so, take a few minutes to pull up the application, fill it out, and submit it. I predict that if you do, you’ll feel good about yourself and feel better about the future of Los Banos.

On another note: I appreciate all that our county, the local hospital, and local clinics are doing to provide the much-needed COVID testing and vaccines for Los Banos and Dos Palos, in spite of very limited available doses.

One example is Apex Medical Group in Los Banos. Dr. Devireddy and his staff have been offering drive-through COVID testing for everyone in the community and are in daily contact with the county in an effort to provide vaccinations to their patients as soon as doses are available. They also plan to offer vaccinations in Dos Palos soon.

All of that work is much appreciated by the community.