An important way we partner with our community to better understand and address its diverse needs is through city advisory boards, commissions, committees and task forces.

Volunteer members of these groups advise our city council and staff and provide essential support to the city, bringing varied perspectives and experiences for city leaders to consider while making decisions.

Cities appoint citizen boards, commissions, task forces, and committees to advise their governing bodies on a wide range of policy issues. Some of these boards are designated by statute for a specific purpose, such as the Economic Development Authority (EDA) with the primary objective of shepherding economic growth within the city or a board of equalization to equalize assessments of property for taxation purposes according to law.

Other boards and commissions may be authorized by statute, but local governing bodies can decide if they need to create these boards or commissions. Specific to the city of Marshall, the council, by ordinance, may establish, regulate, and abolish any board, commission, or administrative body which it may determine to be necessary or desirable.

Every board, commission, and body shall possess only that power and authority which the city council grants and will function as an advisory or independent agency as determined by the council.

An advisory board or commission’s job is to make informed recommendations to the city council. The council, not the board or commission, is ultimately responsible to the community’s citizens. The board or commission must also understand that its advice and recommendations may or may not be implemented at the discretion of the city council. One important distinction to this discretion however is that city councils are the primary law-making bodies for their cities, and their decisions must comply with laws that apply to public bodies. 

For example, in exercising their legislative authority, cities’ zoning decisions must be constitutional, rational, and in some way related to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Other types of committees, boards, or task forces that local governments may create include “ad hoc” advisory boards or task forces, which are typically convened for limited periods to consider specific issues. If the city wants to study a specific issue the mayor or council may establish as an example a “Blue Ribbon Task Force” or other type of committee made up of potentially affected interests with varying views to fully vet the issues surrounding a topic.

Boards and commissions provide many benefits to local government decision-making processes by studying issues, plans, and policies, making planning processes more inclusive, and facilitating communication between elected officials and the community.

As a member of a local government board or commission, you can help influence important decisions about government policies, community resources, and about the delivery of services to residents. The quality and effectiveness of your input can affect the whole community.

Boards are an excellent mechanism for eliciting constructive citizen input, for putting to use the talents of individual citizens as volunteers, and for bringing to local government the perspective of the citizens removed from day-to-day administration.

Service on a board familiarizes you with your community and develops potential community leaders, and it gives you the chance to implement your beliefs about which community needs should be addressed and how they should be met.

Membership is an honor and an important responsibility, requiring commitment of time, energy and expertise, commitment to comply with laws, and interest in promoting public trust and accountability.

Interested community members interested in serving on a board or commission apply to be considered. Members are appointed by the city council. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 507-537-6760 to learn more about potentially serving your community as a board or commission member.   

— Sharon Hanson is the city administrator for the city of Marshall