City looking to attract new board applicants through social media
Apr. 23—The city is hoping a more active presence online and on social media will increase awareness and bring in new applicants for boards and committees.
There will be eight board or committee vacancies in June and another in July. Those interested in applying for boards can fill out a form on the city's website or print off an application and bring it to the city clerk's office.
"Social media is a huge form of communication anymore. We've put more information out as far as what the boards that are open and when they're going to be open," Mayor John Josendale said.
Josendale said having regular citizens involved in these city groups brings fresh and diverse perspectives.
"One of the things we're trying to do is get some fresh new faces, people that are interested, people that want to be involved," Josendale said. "If you look at a board's makeup, you're trying to see what what do you need to add to that board, or who would be the best applicant. The amount of interest obviously plays into that as well as their background and knowledge of that board and or how they're going to work with the others on the board."
Hannorah Harrah is one of the current members of the Museum Oversight Board. Her three-year term began in 2023, but she stepped in during the last few months of 2022 to fill a vacancy due to the previous member passing away.
She said serving on a city board is a great opportunity for everyone to get involved in decisions that impact various city matters.
"You don't know what all goes on and what's all involved in a board or a committee until you've served on it," Harrah said. "I had no idea of all the things that the museum does and how many employees they have and all the activities that they provide, until I was serving on the board."
To apply for a position on any city board or commission, applicants must be registered to vote and also must not owe money to the city.
Members of the city council will make selections from the list of applications.
Controversy over city board appointments in 2023
Three of the nine city board vacancies in June will be for the library board. In 2023, the city faced controversy after Brian Kirk was not reappointed to his position on the library board. He has since filed to sue the City of St. Joseph.
Recently, Kirk asked a federal judge for permission to no longer seek the removal of tax-exempt status for Grace Calvary Chapel. Instead, Kirk requested the judge allow him to sue Pastor Josh Blevins in a personal capacity for alleged defamation.
Buchanan County GOP central committee chairman Steve Greiert would also be sued on the same allegation of defamation. The judge may or may not grant Kirk's request, as part of deciding whether the case can move forward at all.
The new documents were officially filed on April 16. The suit was originally in state court but has since been transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
Riley Funk can be reached at riley.funk@newspressnow.com.
