Volunteers Needed for Advisory Boards

​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 advisory boards that advise 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 Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center Advisory Council has four citizen at-large vacancies. The advisory council provides an opportunity for citizen involvement in improving services for crime victims and raising awareness about abuse and crime to positively impact the community.

Current advisory board openings include:

• Affordable Housing Advisory Committee - Three vacancies: one Alachua County resident, one for-profit affordable housing provider and one representative of laborers in residential affordable housing construction.
• 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: one veterinarian (DVM) who owns or is employed by an Alachua County private veterinary practice, one Alachua County law enforcement officer (lieutenant or higher), one representative of a local not-for-profit animal welfare organization and one citizen at large.
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAP) - Three vacancies: one County Appointee No. 4 and two TPO appointees.
• Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to the Gainesville & Alachua County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), serving its role as a metropolitan planning organization - 10 vacancies for citizens at large.
• Citizens Disability Advisory Committee - Four vacancies: three for citizens at large and one alternate.
• Health Care Advisory Board - Two vacancies: one for a health care advocacy agency and one alternate.
• Historical Commission - Three vacancies: two for citizens at large and one alternate.
• Housing Finance Authority - One vacancy for a citizen at large.
• Human Rights Board - Two vacancies: one for an attorney and one for a citizen at large (representative of a lending institution).
• Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Board - Two vacancies: one for a Florida-licensed professional (architect, engineer or similar) and one representative of incorporated cities other than Gainesville.
• 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 - One vacancy for a citizen actively involved in agriculture and/or silviculture.
• Tourist Development Council - Three vacancies: two for hotel owners/operators and one for a representative of the 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].

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