Should you join a Mat-Su Borough board or commission? Here's what you need to know.

What you need to know:

• The Matanuska-Susitna Borough relies on input from 53 advisory boards, committees, plus 21 community councils to ensure citizen involvement in local decision-making.
• Boards and commissions vary in duties, membership requirements and authority. Interested residents must submit an application to the borough clerk detailing their expertise and motivation. Selection is guided by Assembly members, advanced by the mayor and approved through an Assembly vote.
• Serving on boards allows individuals to contribute to their community. These roles offer residents opportunities to volunteer, influence issues, and explore further civic engagement.

Mat-Su residents looking for ways to get involved in local government can serve on one of the borough's many advisory boards, borough officials say - and there are plenty of opportunities.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough government relies on the input of 53 volunteer boards, committees and councils that deal with issues ranging from septic systems to animal care, said Borough Mayor Edna DeVries. An additional 21 community councils keep neighborhoods informed and share information with the borough government and the assembly.

DeVries said many of these groups need new volunteers because of resignations or other vacancies at any given time. That means there is always an opportunity to get involved.

Volunteering for one of these groups is not only an effective way to volunteer, but it's also an important way to lend your voice to an issue or even test whether you're interested in volunteering further or running for office, community officials and current members said.

How Mat-Su boards, commissions and councils work

Mat-Su Borough boards, commissions and advisory groups are required by law and ensure that citizens throughout the borough have a voice in local decision-making.

Those laws also dictate rules that vary from entity to entity, including specific duties, membership requirements, decision-making authority, required member expertise and whether the group is temporary.

For example, a board created in late 2023 is tasked with making recommendations on waterbody setbacks for new construction. The Waterbody Setback Board is required by law to have members with specific expertise, but cannot make legally binding decisions and is set to disband after it makes its recommendations to the Assembly. Meanwhile, the Borough Platting Board has the authority to make decisions on whether individuals can subdivide their land into smaller lots, has no expertise requirements and operates continuously. 

Members of borough boards and commissions typically serve three-year terms and must step down after two consecutive terms, according to borough law. 

The borough also has 25 community councils that represent individual sections of the region. These groups are made up of residents elected by other community council members and help the assembly understand the needs of the community. The advice they provide is often seriously considered when decisions are made, borough officials said.

The frequency of board and commission meetings is usually a matter of law, with the specific dates and times set by the boards themselves. The duration of each meeting depends on what's on the agenda or what needs to be discussed.

Joining a Mat-Su board or commission

Individuals who wish to join an official Mat-Su board or commission must be residents of the borough and registered voters. Some boards require specific expertise, while others are open to anyone, with a specific selection process up to the borough mayor and assembly members.

Individuals interested in joining a board or commission must first submit an application to the borough clerk, indicating which board they wish to join and answering a series of questions about their background and why they wish to volunteer, regardless of who is currently serving as mayor.

The borough clerk reviews applications and forwards them to the mayor. From there, the process can vary depending on who is in office. DeVries said she typically tries to ensure that borough-wide boards, such as the Library Board, include one member from each of the borough's seven districts and leaves the final selection to the assembly member who represents the applicant's district.

Assembly member Stephanie Nowers, whose district includes Palmer, said she vets candidates based on their relevant expertise and whether they are willing to learn and collaborate. She also works to make sure the people she recommends represent diverse perspectives, she said.

“I don’t look specifically for anybody that I’m politically aligned with or share my values because those boards are meant to serve the community,” she said.  

Assembly member Ron Bernier, whose district includes Talkeetna, said he typically advances candidates who reach out to him directly and are willing to meet and tell him about their background and values.

“Just call me,” he said. “I think it really comes down to, why would you want to be on a board? What assets do you have to bring? What can you do to help your community?”

If a candidate isn't a good fit for one board, they could be a good fit for a different one, Bernier said. For example, he said he chose to pass over a candidate who applied for the Library Board early this year, but when the same candidate applied later for the parks and recreation board, he pushed her name forward for confirmation.

Serving on a board or commission is a way to combine personal interests with meaningful impact, DeVries said.

"If you want to be involved in helping make a decision, then you, of course, can testify as a public person, no doubt about it, whenever they have a hearing," she said. "But if you want to be the person that's going to push it, you need to be on that commission."

A list of borough boards and commissions is available on the borough's website. The "Vacancy Report" link provides the latest information on openings. The website also lists borough community councils and their members.  

Borough officials recommend that interested residents review current or upcoming openings on the borough website and contact their assembly member. Doing so can help applicants understand whether their expertise or interests align with the role and the assembly member's plans for the position. 

The board and commission confirmation process

After the assembly member selects an individual for confirmation and the mayor advances them, they enter the confirmation pipeline. 

Board and commission confirmations are conducted as one of the last orders of business during bimonthly regular Assembly meetings. The names of proposed individuals are listed on the Assembly agenda under "confirmation." During this portion of the meeting, the deputy mayor or other designated Assembly member reads the names of resigning individuals and those being considered for confirmation into the record, and the Assembly votes.

While assembly members may ask for clarification or object to a particular nomination, most confirmation votes are unanimous and conducted without fanfare or discussion.

Why serve on a borough board or commission?

Serving on a board or commission can be a great way to combine your passion for certain issues, personal experience and a desire to help the community, said Kathy Kysar, who represents Sutton on the borough's Library Board.

"I think balance is really important," she said. "There should be people from all walks of life, all political affiliations, all religious backgrounds. You know, a perfect board is made up of that real melting pot of people."

Kysar learned of the Library Board opening at a Friends of the Sutton Library meeting in 2022 and applied to the borough clerk. She was approved in early 2023.

Kysar said that while serving requires a time commitment, it has not been a barrier for her. The Library Board meets at various locations throughout the borough, which requires some travel, but she said the borough reimburses volunteers for mileage. Otherwise, the role takes only a few hours a month, she said.

Volunteering on a board can also help residents decide whether to run for office, said Andrew Shane, who won a seat on the Mat-Su School Board this year. Before running, Shane served on the school district's Library Citizens Advisory Committee and the Borough Planning Commission.

"The most rewarding thing about it is that you're able to have a seat at the table to make decisions for your community, bring your perspective to the table, and feel like you have a voice as well," he said. 

Public service is worth the time because of its impact, Shane said.

"No matter what your political affiliation, just being involved in your community — there is an appreciation for that because it is a sacrifice," he said.

-- Contact Amy Bushatz at abushatz@matsusentinel.com

This story was updated Dec. 26 to reflect the correct spelling of Kathy Kysar's name.