County Struggling To Fill Board Vacancies

SNOW HILL – Local officials say they’re struggling to find citizens willing to serve on county boards and commissions.

When the Worcester County Commissioners moved to discuss pending board appointments at this week’s meeting, Commissioner Joe Mitrecic announced that he was having trouble finding volunteers willing to serve.

“Anyone who is interested in serving on a commission for the county should contact their county commissioner,” Mitrecic said. “It’s very, very difficult to fill all the positions we have to fill.”

The county commissioners are tasked with finding members for more than 30 boards and commissions. Some, such as the board of zoning appeals and the Worcester County Commission for Women, are well known. Others, such as the adult public guardianship board and the board of electrical examiners, are a bit more obscure.

Committee size and term length varies, and appointments to each are staggered throughout the year. Currently, due to resignations and term limitations, there are 11 vacancies that need to be filled. Positions are open on the Local Development Council for Ocean Downs Video Lottery Facility, the Worcester County Commission for Women, the social services board, the adult public guardianship board, the water and sewer advisory council and the Lower Shore Workforce Investment Board.

On Tuesday, the county commissioners approved Mark Frostrom’s reappointment to the local management board, also known as the Worcester County Initiative to Preserve Families. They also approved Jake Mitrecic’s appointment to the housing review board. Joe Mitrecic said he’d suggested the home inspector — his son — for the position only after checking with the county attorney to make sure it was ok to appoint a relative.

“I fretted over that for months,” he said.

He said before he asked Jake Mitrecic he’d asked six other people, all of whom declined the appointment.

“People’s lives are busy,” he said. “It’s difficult to commit.”

Mitrecic said he still needs to find citizens from his district (Ocean City) to appoint to the social services board and the Local Development Council. He says finding people to fill the vacancies can be difficult because he’s seeking qualified individuals that live in his district. He says his predecessor, Louise Gulyas, didn’t have as much trouble finding people to serve because she was willing to appoint people who didn’t live in Ocean City.

“I feel because it’s my appointment I should get Ocean City people,” Mitrecic said.

As there are various positions open on several county boards, interested individuals are asked to contact their county commissioner to inquire about serving. The commissioners address board appointments at the end of each meeting.

About The Author: Charlene Sharpe

Alternative Text

Charlene Sharpe has been with The Dispatch since 2014. A graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and the University of Richmond, she spent seven years with the Delmarva Media Group before joining the team at The Dispatch.