Charlottesville seeks applicants for boards, including RWSA

The City of Charlottesville is accepting applications for five different boards and commissions from now until December 4, 2008. One of the open positions is the citizen representative seat on the

Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA)

.

The purpose of each of these positions is to advise the City Council on community-related matters. City Council members will appoint a qualified citizen to each position after reviewing applications.

Empty chairs await the RWSA Commissioners

Mike Gaffney’s term as the only appointed member of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority’s Board of Directors will expire on December 31, 2008. He also serves as the appointed member of the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority (RSWA). Gaffney has held the position since February of 2003, when he replaced Rich Collins.

Both the Charlottesville City Council and the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors jointly appoint the citizen representative, and they take turns recommending who that person should be. This year, City Council will make the recommendation, which will be ratified by the Board of Supervisors.

The other four members of the RWSA Board hold their positions on the basis of their position in City or County government. City Manager Gary O’Connell and Public Works Director Judy Mueller represent the City, and County Executive Bob Tucker and Albemarle County Service Authority Executive Director Gary Fern represent the County. Because they are government employees,

they must recuse themselves from votes that deal with rate increases because of the state’s conflict of interest laws

.This has resulted in rate decisions being approved by the single vote of the citizen member.

Other Boards with vacancies include:

There are a few ways to apply for these positions. Either call City Council Clerk

Jeanne Cox

at 970-3113 or

Apply online

.

Daniel Nairn and Sean Tubbs