Volunteers Needed for Palestine City

By Teresa Holloway

Messenger Reporter

PALESTINE – Resdents who have considered serving the City in a volunteer capacity have an opportunity now to make a difference. The Mayor of Palestine appoints all members of the boards, and the city council approves the appointments.
Several boards in the City of Palestine are seeking volunteers for terms of varied length.
The Texas State Railroad Authority is seeking one member. The board members are selected from Rusk and Palestine, the two stops on the the TSR route.
Regular board meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month and alternates between Rusk and Palestine meeting locations.
The Palestine Library Board has two openings. There are seven members on the board and all are residents of the city.
The Library board serves a three year term. The members advise the Library Director and the City Manager on policies and programs at the library. Meetings are held at 11:30 a.m. at the library on the first Tuesday of each month.
The Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals seeks one member and two alternates for its seven-member board. The members are residents of Palestine and may not be appointed for more than two consectutive terms unless approved by a majority vote of the City Council. The board meets when called by the Development Services Department.
The Historic Landmarks Commission needs three members for the seven member board. Residence in Palestine is required, and as with the Zoning Board, members may not be appointed for more than two consecutive terms unless approved by the City Council. Meeting time is 4 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the City Council chambers.
The Planning and Zoning Commission, not to be confused with the Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals, is also seeking three members for their seven-member board. Board members may not serve more than ten successive years. The board meets at 1:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month in the City Council chambers.
Applications for this position are available online at cityofpalestinetx.com or for more information contact City Secretary Teresa Herrera at 903.731.8414.
The Tourism Advisory Board is seeking five members to fill out its ranks. The seven member board must be Palestine residents, but up to three members may live outside the city if the Mayor and City Council determine it is in the city’s best interest.
Regular meetings for this critical board are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m.
The Airport Advisory Board has three member positions up for selection. The board is a seven-member panel and serves two year terms but may continue to act after the term is completed until a successor has been appointed. A member may not be appointed for more than two years initially unless approved by the City Council.
The board meets at the Palestine Airport Conference room on the second Tuesday in the second month of each quarter.
The Buildings and Standards Commission board is seeking four members. The seven member panel consists of Palestine residents and may not be appointed for more than two years without City Council majority vote. The board only meets when called by the Development Services Department.
One of the more popular boards is seeking four members. The Main Street Advisory Board has a seven member panel consisting of Palesitne residents, though three may reside outside the city limits if deemed appropriate by the Mayor and City Council.
The board meets at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month.
The Parks Advisory Board, another popular choice for volunteers, currently seeks three members for its seven member board. All board members must be residents of Palestine and may not be appointed for more than two consecutive terms except by approval of the City Council. The Parks board holds its meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at noon inside the Parks and Recreation office at the Palestine Mall.
For more information on any of the open positions, please call the Palestine City Hall offices at 903.731.8414 or go online to cityofpalestinetx.com.
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