The City of Fort Collins currently has 23 standing boards, commissions and authorities consisting of approximately 210 volunteer members. All board members are appointed by the Fort Collins City Council and serve without compensation. Boards and commissions are established for the purpose of acquiring and studying information in specific areas and to make recommendations to City Council on issues within the board's area of expertise. Commissions are quasi-judicial and have decision-making powers within their areas of expertise. Decisions made by quasi-judicial Commissions are appealable to the City Council or the courts.

Appointments to the boards and commissions are made annually in December, with terms of new members beginning on January 1. Recruitment for the annual appointments begins each September. Throughout the year vacancies often occur due to resignations. If the pool of applications on file from the last annual appointment process is not sufficient to fill interim vacancies, the City Clerk's Office will periodically advertise for additional applicants.

Each board and commission is supported by a staff liaison. In addition, each board and commission has a Council liaison. The City Clerk's Office coordinates the recruitment and appointment process for all boards and commissions.

Applicants must reside within the Fort Collins Growth Management Area (GMA) during their service on a Board or Commission. (The GMA includes the area within the city limits and certain areas in the County which are considered appropriate for urban development and eventual annexation into the city.)
Exceptions to the GMA residency requirement:

• Members of the Downtown Development Authority must be landowners, residents, or business lessees within the boundaries of the Authority.

• Qualified candidates can apply to two boards or commissions, however; they can only be appointed to one.
• A separate application is required for each board.

Helpful Hint: Since the Councilmembers are using the applications as the key instrument in evaluating your qualifications, applicants are encouraged to complete each application individually instead of completing one application and making a copy for each board or commission.

• At the time a vacancy does not exist:
  • Applications will be kept on file in the City Clerk's Office for future vacancies.
• At the time a vacancy does exist:
  • All applications on file are organized and compiled for Council consideration
  • During the time that applications are being reviewed, City Council may form interview teams consisting of the Council liaison to each board and one other Councilmember.
  • At the direction of the Council interview team, applicants may be contacted by the City Clerk's Office to schedule a 10-minute interview.
  • Following completion of the Council review and/or interview process, the Council interview team will make recommendations to fill vacancies.
  • Recommendations will be placed in an appointment resolution which will be considered by the whole Council at the earliest possible Council meeting.

• Following adoption of the appointment resolution, each applicant will receive a letter notifying them of the status of their application(s).
• If you are not appointed to a board, your application(s) will be kept on file until the annual appointment process next year.
• If any vacancies occur during that period, your application will be reconsidered.
• If your application is still on file when next year's annual recruitment begins, you will be notified by mail of upcoming vacancies.