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The town of Windsor is seeking volunteers to fill open positions on the town’s Drainage Committee, the town’s Economic Development Authority and also the county’s EDA.

DRAINAGE COMMITTEE

Windsor Town Manager William Saunders noted during the Town Council’s Aug. 13 meeting that due to a resignation, Windsor’s Drainage Committee has a vacant position.

“Durwood Scott resigned his position on the Drainage Committee,” Saunders said. “This position’s term expires on March 14, 2025.”

Saunders noted that the committee’s bylaws state that the committee is to be made up of two council members, three citizens of Windsor and the town manager. 

“As such, the appointee to fulfill the unexpired term should be a citizen of Windsor,” he said. 

The town website notes that the Drainage Committee “was founded to initiate study of the town’s stormwater systems, and issues and opportunities related to them.”

The site states that the committee meets quarterly in the months of February, May, August and November.

WINDSOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

On the seven-seat Windsor Economic Development Authority, the town is seeking to add three members who are either a town resident or who are an Isle of Wight County resident who is a representative of a business located within the town.

Windsor Town Councilman Jake Redd is part of the EDA, and he said serving on it would be an ideal opportunity for someone who is active in the community but is not interested in running for Town Council, along with its significant attendant time commitments.

Being an EDA member involves attending the EDA’s monthly meeting, which is held at 6:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Windsor Town Hall, located at 8 E. Windsor Blvd.

EDA members serve four-year terms, but no one appointed to the presently vacant seats will be doing that because, as Saunders confirmed, they will be filling the unexpired terms of those who have resigned.

“The terms are set for expiration in different years so there is never a case of an entire board expiring at the same time,” Saunders said.

ISLE OF WIGHT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Saunders also noted during the Aug. 13 council meeting that a resignation had created a vacancy in the Windsor position on the Isle of Wight County Economic Development Authority.

“Rev. Reuben ‘Sam’ Askew has resigned his position on the Isle of Wight County EDA,” Saunders said. “This position’s term expires in June of 2027.

“As has been tradition, the Windsor Town Council recommends an appointee for consideration by the Isle of Wight County EDA and appointment by the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors,” Saunders continued. “Regarding potential appointees, while there are no specific prohibitions, candidates with board-related conflicts, conflicts having to do with projects and activities of the EDA or candidates having the need (or desire) to repeatedly recuse themselves because of real or perceived conflict are not ideal.”

Saunders noted that potential appointees shall also be county residents.

He later noted that the above language about potential appointees “pretty much comes from the director of economic development at the county of what type of candidate that they’re looking for.”

Redd asked if it was required that the potential appointee be a Windsor resident.

“I don’t think it’s actually done by district or anything, at least (by) my reading of the bylaws,” Saunders said, “but I think that they have given each town in the county an opportunity to nominate one of them. I don’t think it goes by district.”

The county website provides the following mission statement for the Isle of Wight EDA: “The Economic Development Authority, formerly the Industrial Development Authority, was created in 1968 to promote industrial growth in the county. As a support organization for the county’s Department of Economic Development, it may authorize the issuance of tax-exempt industrial bonds to industries locating or expanding their operations in Isle of Wight. Contributions made to the authority are used to promote industrial development and existing business to provide an adequate tax base for government services and to promote employment opportunities for county citizens.”

Isle of Wight’s website also notes that the county EDA’s meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. within the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors’ Room in the Isle of Wight County Courthouse Complex at 17140 Monument Circle in Windsor.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’D LIKE TO SERVE

Those interested in serving on the Windsor Drainage Committee, the Windsor EDA or the Isle of Wight County EDA can find the relevant Talent Bank form at www.windsor-va.gov/page/town-committees/. They should fill out the form and deliver it to Windsor Town Clerk Kelly N. Kuhns either in person at 8 E. Windsor Blvd., by mail at P.O. Box 307, Windsor, VA 23487 or by email at kkuhns@windsor-va.gov.

TALENT BANK FORM DETAILS

Though there is technically not an option on the form for the county EDA, Kuhns said applicants for that authority can simply notate on the form that if it is the county-level EDA on which they they are looking to serve.

The form includes a place for applicants to list their full name, home address, telephone number, address on their voter registration card and the best method(s) by which to contact them.

There are spaces on the form for applicants to list their education; their civic activities, including offices held, honors received, etc.; their availability of time to devote to the given function; their business address, name of firm, date employed and their previous employment information, including position, firm, date and location.

A space is provided for the applicant to list special items that might qualify them for the given appointment, and then the form concludes with the following question: “Why are you interested in serving as a member of this board, committee or commission?”

The form notes that the information provided on it will be kept for Town Council review only, and as openings become available, as they are now, these forms will be reviewed and the applicants will be notified of any necessary follow-up.