When community members ask me about the “best” volunteer public service opportunities in Dallas, I often suggest that they serve on a board or commission.

The City of Dallas has over 30 boards, committees, and commissions that have a diverse set of missions and serve various purposes. All of the boards, committees, and commissions are comprised of local, unpaid volunteers. Dallas County and the Dallas Independent School District also have several boards, committees and commissions.

By serving as a volunteer member of a board or commission, you can help advise your local government in a myriad of ways, including providing input on: strategies to reduce homelessness and improve housing affordability, operation of the animal shelter, the design and location of new parks, and the expenditure of federal funding to strengthen neighborhoods. There are opportunities to serve on boards and commissions that have a citywide (or countywide) focus as well as board and commissions that are focused on specific zones or neighborhoods in the city.

If you have a desire to serve your community, and the ability to devote sufficient time to board service, you’ll be able to find at least one board or commission opportunity that aligns with your interests. In fact, most boards and commissions don’t require members to be experts in a specific subject matter and city staff are available to support board members who want to learn more about a specific topic that is addressed by the board.

If you are interested in being appointed to serve on a board or commission, you can apply online via this link (click on “Request Access to Site”.) However, in most instances, you’ll also want to reach out to your city councilmember or county commissioner to express interest in serving, since the elected official will be responsible for recommending your appointment. Don’t be intimidated to reach out to your elected officials – they are usually excited to hear from constituents who want to become more involved in local government. (And, if your elected official is nonresponsive, reach out to other elected officials because elected officials can often appoint someone who lives outside their district.)

If you are unsure of who represents you, you can enter your home address into this map to find your Dallas City Councilmember and this map to find your Dallas County Commissioner.

Sound exiting? Then keep reading to learn more about serving on a board or commission. And if you have questions about serving on a board or commission, send me an email at maureen@maureendallas.com.

The Nuts and Bolts of Serving on a Board, Committee, or Commission

Most boards and commissions are advisory bodies, meaning that the members have been appointed for the specific purpose of making recommendations regarding certain subjects to the Dallas City Manager and Dallas City Council. The Community Development Commission (“CDC”) is an example of an advisory body. The CDC’s mission is to “enhance the vitality and quality of life for all in the Dallas community by making recommendations to Dallas City Manager and Dallas City Council on the use of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Consolidated Plan grant funds that improve the lives and living environments of low- and moderate-income persons residing within the City of Dallas.”

In some instances, a board or commission creates a committee that serves to advise the Board or Commission, rather than the City Manager and City Council. The Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee (ZOAC) is one example of a committee that serves to advise a Commission – specifically, the City Plan Commission.

Additionally, a few boards and commissions are quasi-judicial bodies, meaning that their meetings often resemble a legal proceeding where evidence is produced and witnesses are questioned. And people with an interest in the outcome of a case are prohibited from having ex parte communications (i.e. one-sided communications) with board members. An example of a quasi-judicial body is the Board of Adjustment.

Finally some boards and commissions are government instrumentalities. According to the IRS, an instrumentality “is an organization created by or pursuant to state statute and operated for public purposes. Generally, an instrumentality performs governmental functions, but does not have the full powers of a government, such as police authority, taxation and eminent domain.” In Dallas, all of the government instrumentalities are non-profit corporations and the volunteer members are officers or directors of the corporation. The officers and directors have fiduciary responsibilities. The Dallas Housing Finance Corporation is an example of a government instrumentality.

Issues to Consider When Deciding Whether to Seek Appointment to a Specific Board, Committee, or Commission

There are three primary issues you should consider when exploring the possibility of serving on a board or commission:

• Time Commitment – There is wide variation in the frequency with which boards and commissions meet. Likewise, serving on some boards and commissions involves substantial pre-meeting preparation by members since staff produce lengthy agenda packets that should be reviewed prior to the meeting. Also, some boards and commissions meet during the work day, while others hold their meetings in the evening.
• Qualifications of Board and Commission Members – For many boards and commissions, the only membership qualification is that members must be residents of the City of Dallas (or Dallas County). For other boards and commissions, a certain number of members must possess specific qualifications, such as being a licensed architect.
• Subject Matter Addressed by the Board or Commission – While you don’t need to be a subject matter expert on the issues that are commonly addressed by a board or commission, you should have an interest in developing your expertise in the subject matter. Our local community does not benefit when boards and commissions merely rubber stamp the recommendations of staff because board members don’t understand the items on which they are voting.

City of Dallas Boards, Committees, and Commissions

Below is a curated list of various boards, committees, and commissions. The full list of all City of Dallas Boards and Commissions can be accessed via this link.

Citywide Focus

• Animal Advisory Commission
• Board of Adjustment
• Citizen Homeless Commission
• City Plan and Zoning Commission (CPC)
• Commission on Disabilities
• Community Development Commission
• Community Police Advisory Board
• Dallas Housing Authority Board
• Environmental Commission
• Inclusive Housing Taskforce
• Landmark Commission
• Municipal Library Board
• Park and Recreation Board
• Senior Affairs Commission
• Veteran Affairs Commission
• Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee

Limited Geographic Focus

• South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund
• Tax Increment Financing Board (Various)

Public Instrumentality

• Dallas Area Partnership to End Homelessness Local Government Corporation
• Dallas Economic Development Corporation
• Dallas Housing Acquisition and Development Corporation (Land Bank)
• Dallas Housing Authority Public Facility Corporation(s)*
• Dallas Housing Finance Corporation
• Dallas Public Facility Corporation

Dallas County

• Workforce Development Commission
• Small Business Advocacy Council
• Dallas County Housing Finance Corporation*

*Entity exists; List of members and appointment process could not be found

Dallas Independent School District

• Site Based Decision Making Committee (each school)
• School Health Advisory Council