With the appointment of five people to the new East Bank Development Authority Board and the Metro Council approval of seven people to Metro boards and commissions this month, Mayor Freddie O'Connell is capping his first 15 months in office having made 286 appointments (as of December 18) to serve on one of Metro's 81 boards, commissions, or advisory committees.
When Mayor O'Connell took office in September 2023, there were 126 vacancies on Metro's boards and commissions.
"So much of the work that Metro government does is aided and elevated by the boards and commissions that touch a wide variety of policy areas," Mayor Freddie O'Connell said. "It's a commitment to serve, and I'm grateful for the Nashvillians that step up to help in their areas of expertise."
Mayor O'Connell's goal is to ensure boards and commissions are reflective of the Nashville community they serve. When making appointments, the O'Connell Administration considers the current makeup of the board or commission and reviews the areas of expertise, vision, race, gender identity, age, area of residence, and other characteristics of people interested in serving on a specific board or commission.
The administration not only looks at those who have submitted interest in the seat, it also seeks out potential appointees from the community to ensure Metro Council has a qualified nominee to review for each seat.
Legislation improved in November the staggering of terms for individual boards or commissions, so there is not a mass of vacancies at one time.
In May, the Mayor's Office convened a working group to identify opportunities to bolster boards and commissions to ensure they can provide the greatest value to the communities they serve. The Working Group surveyed board members and commissioners to better understand member perspectives on structure, operations, transparency, and other issues. Since then, additional communications have been sent to those who work alongside boards for additional perspectives on these issues with the goal of taking steps to better serve and support both these bodies and the volunteer residents who serve on them.
There are currently 32 vacancies, and Nashvillians can apply to serve on a board or commission on Nashville.gov. There is also data available on demographics of Nashvillians serving and a list of active boards.