Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that allows you to give back to your community and participate in your county's decision-making process? Serving on an Alachua County advisory board offers you this chance. The County Commission relies on input from these boards to make informed decisions and set policies.

Over 250 citizens serve on the Advisory Boards advising county government and local agencies on many topics. They include affordable housing, economic development, environmental protection, human rights, county finances, and many other issues. The Alachua County Commission seeks citizen volunteers to serve on several Advisory Boards.

For example, the Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Board has four vacancies. This board assures citizens and elected officials that all surtax revenues, including those expended by the county and each municipality, are expended only for the purposes for which it is authorized. It also tracks overall surtax revenue expenditures.

Current advisory board openings include:

Affordable Housing Advisory Committee - One vacancy for an actively engaged, for-profit provider of affordable housing.

Agricultural Land Conservation Board - One vacancy for a citizen at large.

Alachua County Housing Authority Board - One vacancy for a tenant alternate.

Animal Welfare Advisory Committee - Four vacancies, including one for a veterinarian (DVM) who owns or is employed by an Alachua County private veterinary practice, one for an Alachua County law enforcement officer (rank of lieutenant or higher), one for a local not-for-profit animal welfare organization and one for a citizen at large.

Arts Council of Alachua County - Three vacancies, including one for a youth member (must be age 16-21 at time of appointment) and two for citizens at large.

Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAP) to the Gainesville & Alachua County Transportation Planning Organization (GACTPO) - Three vacancies, including one vacancy for a county appointee No. 4 and two TPO appointees.

Citizen's Advisory Committee (CAC) to the Gainesville & Alachua County Transportation Planning Organization (GACTPO) - One vacancy for a citizen at large.

Citizen's Disability Advisory Committee - Three vacancies for citizens at large.

Health Care Advisory Board - Two vacancies, including one vacancy for a health care advocacy agency and one for an alternate.

Health Facilities Authority - One vacancy for a citizen at large.

Historical Commission - Three vacancies, including two for citizens at large and one for an alternate.

Human Rights Board - Two vacancies, including one for an attorney and one for a citizen at large.

Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Board - Four vacancies, including one for an Alachua County resident (alternate), a Gainesville resident (alternate), one for a Florida-licensed professional (architect, engineer, or similar), and one for a resident living in an incorporated city (other than Gainesville).

Land Conservation Board - Three vacancies for natural resource professionals.

Library District Board of Trustees - One vacancy for a citizen at large.

Recreation and Open Space Advisory Committee - One vacancy for an alternate.

Regional Transit System Advisory Board - One vacancy for a citizen who is one or more of the following: Chamber of Commerce representative, member of the environmental community or member of the TPO Citizen's Advisory Committee.

Rural Concerns Advisory Committee - Four vacancies, including three vacancies for citizens actively involved in agriculture and/or silviculture and one vacancy for a citizen residing in an unincorporated area outside an urban cluster designated in the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan.

Tourist Development Council - Three vacancies, including two for hotel owners/operators and one vacancy for tourist industry/tourist development.

Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center Advisory Council - Four vacancies for citizens at large.

Learn more about the duties and meeting logistics or apply online.

For more information, contact Alachua County Senior Staff Assistant Kimberly McKinney at 352-548-3766 or [email protected].

Read All About It: Alachua County News and Updates

Keep up-to-date with all news and developments in your community, delivered to your inbox.