Middletown residents have until Friday, July 31, to apply for open seats on the town's boards and commissions, according to a notice the town posted July 28.
The posting did not list every current vacancy, but a board-vacancy tally the town circulated in March identified open seats on the Affordable Housing Committee, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Conservation Commission, the Middletown Local 250th Commission, the Middletown Prevention Coalition, the Roads and Utilities Advisory Committee, the Senior Center Board of Directors, the Tax Assessment Review Board and the Zoning Board of Review. It is not clear whether that list matches the openings the town is now advertising, since some seats may have been filled or added to since March.
Residents can apply online through the town's website or pick up a paper application at the Office of the Town Clerk in Town Hall, at 350 East Main Road. For some boards, including the Planning Board, applicants must be registered Middletown voters, according to the town's own board pages; that requirement does not appear to apply uniformly across every committee.
Local sponsorWorld-class website design and custom software at a small business price.Company 50Middletown is governed by a seven-member Town Council and an appointed town administrator, but much of the day-to-day work of shaping town policy happens on these volunteer boards. According to the town's Boards and Committees page, the panels touch "everything from the roads we drive to the development of the community to the open spaces we preserve" — meaning decisions on zoning changes, conservation land, road and utility projects, and affordable housing policy often start with recommendations from unpaid residents before reaching the Town Council.
The town, home to roughly 16,000 to 17,000 residents depending on the estimate used, has framed the recruitment as a way to broaden participation in local government rather than as a response to any particular staffing problem. In a social media post tied to the recruitment drive, the town said it "wouldn't be nearly the same community without the efforts and support of our volunteers."
How selections are made after applications come in, including whether the Town Council interviews candidates or votes on appointments at a public meeting, was not detailed in the town's recruitment materials. Council appointments to fill some board vacancies have appeared as agenda items at past council meetings, suggesting a similar process is likely to follow this round of applications.
Applications are due Friday, July 31. Residents can find the online application and a full list of boards and committees at middletownri.gov, or contact the Town Clerk's office at Town Hall for a paper copy.