For those who have not interest serving as an elected official but want to have a say in what happens in their cities, towns and villages, consider serving as an appointed official on one or several boards and commissions that advise elected officials and professional members of a city, town or village staff.

Those opportunities are available with the City of Washington, the Town of Belhaven and several other municipalities in Beaufort County.

For those who have interests in youth sports, recreation or parks, then a term or two on a recreation advisory committee. Such committee members help identify needs associated with recreation, sports and park needs. Then they work to meet those needs. They also provide input regarding city policies concerning use of sports facilities and parks.

People who want to help preserve a city or town’s historic character and properties should consider serving on a historic preservation commission. If you have a vision of how a town’s historic district should look, serving on such a commission would allow you to share that vision with the visions of others. Together, you and other commission members develop guidelines with the goal of preserving the historic characteristics of an area in a way that allows appropriate growth.

Interested in aviation and what a local airport can do to help the area’s economy grow? Then serving on an airport advisory committee may be the way for you to explore that interest and use it to benefit your community.

Have thoughts on improving tourism in your city or town? Perhaps you should apply for a position on a tourism development authority. Your input could prove valuable when it comes to finding ways to bring more tourists to your community.

Should you be appointed to a planning board, utilities advisory committee or a human relations council, keep in mind you will be expected to attend as many of that panel’s meetings as possible. An empty chair at a meeting provides no input.

Check with your city, town or village administration to see what positions are available for appointment. If one or more positions appeal to you, submit an application.

Your input, knowledge and experiences could help make your community a better place to live and work.