County boards and commissions help advise the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors. (Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo — Santa Cruz Local file)
Clarification: Prospective applicants to Santa Cruz city advisory bodies can inquire with advisory body staff liaisons or any city council member.
SANTA CRUZ >> Have ideas to improve Santa Cruz County? Residents can now apply to have a direct line to Santa Cruz city and county leaders — and get paid a small sum for the privilege.
Members of city and county boards and commissions weigh in on issues from mental health to Latino affairs to workforce development, and make recommendations to the city council and the county board of supervisors. There were more than 45 vacant seats across 17 county boards, commissions and advisory councils as of Aug. 27.
In January, Santa Cruz County started offering $75 stipends for each meeting attended by county advisory board members. At an Aug. 27 Santa Cruz City Council meeting, the city followed suit, and it is set to offer the same stipends in January 2025.
The money is part of an effort to add more diverse voices to commissions, like Latinos, youth and renters. Most advisory board positions don’t require special qualifications or prior government experience.
The stipends “will be a helpful tool in addressing the age disparities and the lack of younger folks serving those positions,” said Santa Cruz City Councilmember Sandy Brown. “It’s not a huge amount of money, but it does compensate for the time that people spend,” said Brown.
People aged 18-24 make up 31% of the city’s population, but just 2% of advisory board members, according to a nonprofit’s report this year.
Separately in Watsonville, voters in that city on Nov. 5 will consider easing eligibility requirements for the city’s four advisory bodies to allow noncitizens and youths under 18 to serve.
What are commissions and advisory bodies?
Each commission or board has a distinct focus, such as urban planning, the environment, or the arts. Most groups meet about once or twice a month to discuss issues suggested by members or city or county staff.
Anyone can attend meetings and address commissioners. Although some commissions have some decision-making power, they mostly vote on recommendations for city council or the board of supervisors.
- For example, the City of Santa Cruz Planning Commission regularly approves or rejects housing proposals, and makes recommendations to city council about the city’s housing rules.
- The Santa Cruz County Mental Health Advisory Board meets with county behavioral health staff and nonprofit leaders and advises the board of supervisors about policies that impact mental health and substance use.
- Some committees, such as the City of Santa Cruz’s Children’s Fund Oversight Committee, track the spending of tax money set aside for a specific purpose.
Most members serve four-year terms.
What are the duties of a commissioner or advisory body member?
According to the City of Santa Cruz’s handbook for advisory bodies, appointees must:
- Review the agenda packet prepared by city or county staff before meetings. At meetings, advisory bodies can only discuss items on the agenda. If needed, ask staff or the board chair for clarifications about agenda items.
- Know the duties of your position and the limits of your authority. Commissioners can make recommendations but cannot tell city staff what to do.
- Keep an open mind and appreciate different perspectives on issues. Listen respectfully to members of the public, other members and staff.
What positions are available?
Santa Cruz County maintains a list of vacant seats on advisory bodies. Some require specific qualifications. For example, a provider and a receiver of In-Home Supportive Services are sought for the In-Home Supportive Services Advisory position. Other seats are restricted to residents of a specific county supervisorial district.
Santa Cruz County is also seeking teen and young adult applicants for its Youth Advisory Task Force. It has been created to advise county supervisors about how to better serve youth and involve them in county advisory bodies. Applicants must be aged 14-24 and live or work in Santa Cruz County. Online applications are open until Sept. 20. Members are eligible for the $75 stipend or community service hours.
All City of Santa Cruz advisory body seats are filled, but the city’s two appointed positions for the county’s Latino Advisory Commission are vacant. Some city commissioners’ terms are set to expire in 2025. Some of those commissioners will be eligible for reappointment, and others will term out. Other seats may become vacant if a member leaves their seats before the end of their term.
See a complete list of City of Santa Cruz advisory body members and term dates and vacancies.
How to join a Santa Cruz County advisory body
Advisory body members are nominated by a county supervisor for approval during a Board of Supervisors meeting.
Those interested in joining a county commission or other advisory body can:
- Explore the list of advisory boards in Santa Cruz County. The list links to individual websites with meeting times, locations and contact emails for county staff liaisons.
- Attend an advisory body meeting. Some meetings are broadcast on Community Television.
- Discuss a position with a staff liaison or county supervisor.
- Submit an online application in English or Spanish.
How to join a City of Santa Cruz advisory body
Most seats on City of Santa Cruz advisory bodies are open to residents living anywhere in the city. Some bodies are open to county residents living outside of the city who have businesses or other interests within the city.
Potential applicants can:
- Explore the list of city advisory bodies.
- Attend an advisory body meeting. The City of Santa Cruz maintains a list of past and upcoming meeting times, locations and agendas.
- Discuss their application with an advisory body staff liaison or any city council member.
The application to join a city advisory body can be submitted:
- By email: [email protected]
- By mail or in person: 809 Center St., Room 9, Santa Cruz, 95060.
Resources
- Santa Cruz County advisory bodies
- Santa Cruz County advisory body vacancies
- City of Santa Cruz advisory bodies
- City of Santa Cruz advisory body members and term dates
Read more from Santa Cruz Local
- Watsonville voters could open city commissions to non-citizens — June 26, 2024
- More diverse Santa Cruz County residents wanted for commissions — June 7, 2023
Jesse Kathan is a staff reporter for Santa Cruz Local through the California Local News Fellowship. They hold a master's degree in science communications from UC Santa Cruz.
