County board appointment process changed

The process for applying for and being appointed to county boards was changed by a resolution of the county commissioners Wednesday afternoon. 

All board openings will now be posted and advertised by the clerk and recorder’s office, with applications also coming to that office to be distributed to the various boards. The boards will continue to make recommendations to the commissioners, but the commissioners will have the final say on who is appointed.

The commissioners have always held oversight responsibility for the boards and statutory authority for the appointments, but historically this oversight has been little more than a formality as the commissioners generally just approve the recommendations of the board.

The idea was brought to the commissioners’ attention by Lincoln County Clerk and Recorder Robin Benson in order to create a more uniform practice for the county.

“This was done to provide more uniformity, awareness and opportunity to all individuals interested in serving on various boards and committees to volunteer their services in the performance of the affairs of the county,” said Commissioner Greg Larson. “We felt more consistency was needed in the process of informing the public of opportunity. The idea was brought to us by our clerk and recorder who cited some examples of inconsistencies and the need for a more uniform policy.”

The county has boards and committees with various responsibilities in the county. These boards include fire district boards, park and cemetery boards, the library boards, the Port Authority board and many others. Deputy Clerk Leigh Riggleman said there are approximately 35 boards with members appointed by the commissioners, the new policy will impact them all.

Commissioner Mark Peck said the move wasn’t in response to any specific event or issue with any board, but just a proactive measure designed to make the process better for those citizens willing to donate their time in service to the county.

“There was no specific event,” he said. “We want to ensure that we provide the citizens as much opportunity as we can to participate on county boards. One of the key issues I heard from folks during the campaign was to have more information about available board positions and more opportunity to serve.”