GOSHEN COUNTY— If it were listed on indeed.com, serving on a local government board or commission would be a tough sell.
You must be willing to do hours of unpaid work – almost all of it at night. A thick skin is necessary, because you’ll mostly hear from your detractors and they’ll almost always be livid about something.
You’ll also need to perform in a stressful, high-pressure environment where you’ll be tasked with budgeting and spending taxpayer dollars.
While most people would say they want a better for future for the community and that it is important to get involved in community boards and organizations, that’s the reality of the situation.
“It’s time consuming to sit on those boards,” Cody Cox, Vice Chairman of the Goshen County Board of Commissioners, said. “You can put as much time in as you want, but to be an effective board member you have to put in the time and effort. People work full-time jobs and then they don’t want to have to leave before dinner to go sit in another board meeting for four hours.”
Currently, the county has openings on its fair board, lodging tax board and planning commission – and no applicants to fill those positions. Cox, who spent almost a decade with the fair board before he was elected to the GCC, said the process isn’t complicated to secure a spot on one of the boards, but it takes dedication to the cause to be a good board member.
“You just have to find the right people who want to take on the responsibility and care enough about these different boards and programs that we have so that it means something to them,” he said.
All it takes to be considered is to submit a letter of interest to Goshen County Clerk Cindy Kenyon, then interview with the commission. Board openings are listed in legal notices in the Torrington Telegram and posted at the Goshen County Courthouse. They’re also online in the legal notices section at goshencounty.gov.
But, according to Commissioner Pinky Walter – a former member of numerous boards who once served as Mayor of Lingle – it’s tough to balance the demands of a professional life and a personal life.
“Everybody is too concerned about making a living,” he said. “They’re concerned about spending all of their time trying to make a living instead of becoming part of the process.
“The men are working. The wives are working. They come home at night and have supper and spend a few hours together and go to bed, then they start the whole deal over tomorrow. There’s not too much time together. Instead of being on a board, they’d rather spend more time with their spouse.”
Walter said most people reach a point in their lives where the possibility of serving becomes a reality.
“For the most part, there’s a certain age where people become a little more conscious about their community and their county,” he said. “When you’re young, you’re too busy. Once you get a little older and kind of get your life locked down, you might have a little bit more time.
“It’s interesting. When you have a little more time and when you get a little older, it gives you something to do. You can be a part of the community.”
And according to Cox, serving on a board is also a great way for younger people to be involved in the community as well, provided they meet the above-listed attributes.
“You have to have a strong backbone where you can take that criticism and not let it affect you,” he said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for some of the younger people in the community to get involved.”
