A Fishers City Council “Committee Taskforce” will present its proposal at the Monday, October 11, council session, but Council Member At-Large Jocelyn Vare says she does not support changes in the process for council appointments to boards and commissions.

The language to be presented to the full council says all council members may “indicate a preference” as to whom should be appointed to various boards and commissions, but the decision will be made each year after the council votes on a new president in January.  The council president would be empowered to make those appointments each year, under the proposed language.  The council president would also have the authority to make appointments when there are board and commission vacancies during the year.

“…the City Council president will make all assignments at their discretion, behind closed doors.” Vare says in a statement about the proposed changes.  “This is an even worse idea than the current process. Instead of making the appointment process more organized, thoughtful, and transparent, the…Committee’s best idea is to leave these important appointments up to the whim of one person. I do not support this.”

In the past, the full council voted on a list of appointments.

In January of 2021, Councilor Vare expressed her view that the council’s appointments to boards and commissions lacked diversity, citing data showing 80% of the council appointments are white males.  Vare describes the current council appointment system as  ” haphazard, not transparent, and diversity is not a priority.”

Vare calls the proposed changes in the council appointment system “an even worse idea than the current process.”

The City Council is scheduled to consider the committee’s proposal October 11th on first reading.