The city of Tustin has opened and closed the application process for vacant seats on the Planning Commission and the Community Services Commission. These appointments serve at the pleasure of the city council and are for two years each. The Planning Commission pays a stipend of $150.00 per meeting and usually meets twice a month in the city council chambers.

The Community Services Commission also serves at the pleasure of the council and the stipend is $100.00 per meeting for a once a month meeting. This Commission is an advisory body to the parks and recreation department regarding parks, design and facilities. It is a great commission that keeps the parks as what families and community members would like rather than what the city staffers think we should have. And, no, I am not complaining about the Parks Department. They do a great job at keeping our parks beautiful and safe for our families.

Seats on either of these commissions, according to the news release, require that applicants are both residents of the city of Tustin and registered to vote. Although applications had to be turned in by the close of business last Friday, this report is more to keep you informed that the Commission makeup may change very soon. It is unclear whether the interviews, which will be held by the City Council on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 4:30 pm, are open to the public, hopefully they are. If you have an interest in the process, you are urged to take some time and see our form of government in practice.