There’s so much going on in our busy lives that it’s easy to miss some of the important behind the scenes activities that have a big impact on our quality of life. Members of the Planning Board and Zoning Board make decisions, like whether to grant variances to Monsey Affordable Housing Inc, the developer of the 111 South Liberty Dr. (the four story apartment building proposed near Walgreens), or deny them.
The fact that vacancies on these important boards are filled without advertising them to the residents of Stony Point is troublesome.
Advertising these vacancies to the public is essential for several reasons:
Transparency and Inclusivity: Publicizing vacancies ensures that the process of filling these positions is transparent and open to all interested individuals.
Wider Pool of Applicants: By advertising vacancies to the public, local authorities can attract a broader and more diverse pool of applicants. This increases the likelihood of finding individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise, which can be valuable for making informed decisions.
Merit-Based Selection: Publicizing vacancies helps ensure that appointments are based on merit and qualifications rather than political connections or favoritism. It encourages individuals to apply based on their skills, knowledge, and commitment to serving the community.
Checks and Balances: By publicly advertising vacancies, it reduces the likelihood of a concentration of power within the appointment process, making it more difficult for a small group to control board appointments, which can lead to potential conflicts of interest.
Expertise and Skills: Publicizing vacancies enables local authorities to identify individuals with specific expertise and skills relevant to land use planning and zoning regulations. This can help ensure that the boards are well-equipped to make informed and knowledgeable decisions.
Broader Perspectives: When vacancies are advertised, it's more likely that individuals with a wide range of perspectives and opinions will apply. This diversity can lead to more well-rounded discussions and decisions within planning and zoning boards, ultimately benefiting the community.
Strengthened Accountability: The open advertisement of vacancies helps hold local authorities accountable for their appointment processes, reducing the potential for nepotism, favoritism, or other irregularities.
Advertising planning board and zoning board vacancies to the public is a crucial step in promoting openness, fairness, and community engagement in the land use planning and zoning decision-making process. It helps ensure that these boards are composed of qualified individuals who can make decisions that are in the best interests of the community.
(This is in no way a criticism of the present members of these Boards who work hard on our behalf. This is a call to change the process of filling vacancies.)
If you think it’s time for a change in the way the Town Board does business like this please consider voting for Ellie Kassner on November 7th. We need new energy and new ideas to bring Stony Point into the 21st century.
