Editorial: Commission search

Having good candidates from which to choose is the essential first step to successfully filling the Lawrence City Commission vacancy.

The Lawrence City Commission has set an efficient and open process to guide its selection of a new member, including the appointment of a 12-member advisory board to review all applications and recommend six finalists to the city commissioners.

The process is good; now commissioners and community members need to make sure the advisory board and the commission have the best possible candidates from which to choose.

One key criteria is experience. Three of the four current commissioners were elected for the first time in April. This appointment is an opportunity to add some needed experience to the commission table. Fortunately, Lawrence is home to many well-qualified people who have previously served on the commission or in other local or state government offices. It may go without saying, but commissioners and other community leaders shouldn’t be afraid to urge some of those people to apply.

They also shouldn’t be afraid to aim high and contact some of the community’s most respected leaders. They may not want the job — or they may be willing to serve if they are asked and don’t have to conduct an election campaign to take a seat on the commission. There’s no time to waste. Candidates must apply for the opening by 5 p.m. on Sept. 9, and commissioners hope to make their final choice on Oct. 6.

The advisory committee announced last week, includes an interesting cross-section of local residents. Among its 12 members are three former city commissioners, who can contribute some first-hand knowledge of what the job entails. The selection process also includes opportunities for the public to observe and participate in the deliberations through open meetings and a public forum on Sept. 24.

City commissioners have said they want the new appointee to have their unanimous support. That probably means that some compromise will be involved. The best bet is to find someone who is willing to serve and has both strong experience and the community’s respect. Those people are out there; the community just needs to make sure some of them are on the final list from which a new commissioner will be chosen.