Author Topic: Volunteer for public service!  (Read 2265 times)

SwordGuy

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Volunteer for public service!
« on: December 16, 2012, 08:18:28 PM »
Have you considered volunteering for a local community citizen advisory committee or citizen board of directors?

Seems to me our government (at all levels) needs a Mustachean viewpoint added to its deliberations.

The easiest to do (and the one in which one can see direct results in community quality of life) is at the local city or county level.

Many cities and states have volunteer citizen advisory committees or citizen boards of directors to provide direct citizen input into the various local government functions.

For example, I spent two years meeting (usually) once a month on my city's mass transit advisory committee.   I spent another term on my county's board of directors for mental health services, again, meeting (usually) once a month. 

Committees provide advice from citizens on the topic they are formed to cover.  Boards of directors provide direct citizen governance over that agency's functions, such as contract approval, etc.   

I'll use Longmont, CO as a representative city.   Check out "http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/boards/index.htm" for the City of Longmont and "http://www.bouldercounty.org/gov/boards/pages/default.aspx" for Boulder County. 

There are a host of interesting and important subjects that these citizen volunteers cover.  Why not be one of them?

And, for those of you who have achieved financial independence, please consider running for office at the local or state level.  Your way of thinking is exactly what we need in public debates.

SwordGuy

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Re: Volunteer for public service!
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2012, 08:46:57 PM »
Gosh, I can hear that gauntlet ringing off the floor and echoing across a very empty room...

Isn't a good use of our time helping our local governments be more frugal, too? 

Or more bicycle friendly? 

Or mass transit friendly?


extralean

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Re: Volunteer for public service!
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2012, 10:10:39 PM »
I've actually been thinking about this for a little while, having just read both of your posts I will give it a bit of a google for where I'm living.

My problem is that I'm only new to the area, and not sure I'll stay overly long either. But once I do settle down into a place I think I'd enjoy giving this a go.

What was the average age of people in your committees?


Worsted Skeins

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Re: Volunteer for public service!
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2012, 08:08:50 AM »
I sit on one of my town's advisory boards and am also a volunteer with my county's 4-H program.  4-H promotes learning hands on skills, another way to share Mustachian philosophy.

To extralean:  the average age of my advisory board is probably in the upper 50's.  But my group meets during the day.  A group that meets in the evening may skew younger.

SwordGuy

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Re: Volunteer for public service!
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2012, 09:09:02 AM »
My two groups met in the evenings, avg age was in the 40s. 

It's important to understand that if younger folks don't volunteer, they don't get appointed.  In any given opening, there were only 1 to 4 people to choose from.