City Boards & Commissions
Hi everyone,
This is Laura Sánchez-Parkinson, your City Councilor for Ward 3, representing parts of the Old North End and Downtown.
First off, thank you to all who have served and applied to our City Boards and Commissions! Board and Commissions are integral to our city, offering insights, guidance, and added capacity on areas such as policing, health, voting, electric light, and cemeteries. Every year there are openings to be filled and this year I was fortunate to serve in the selection committee.
It is no secret that the selection process has been deeply flawed, and that’s why our City Council unanimously voted to review the process and propose improvements for 2027 (resolution linked below). I am grateful that our current selection committee did not wait until next year to begin applying some immediate process changes. We did not have much time, but we quickly developed an evaluation process and invited everyone to interview. The process was still far from perfect and I look forward to offering recommendations to ensure that how we select members for boards and commissions is clear, fair, and equitable.
Our selection committee will be making some recommendations, but ultimately it’s up to the City Council to vote and approve, anticipating at the Monday, June 29th meeting. There were many incredible applicants, I particularly wanted to name a few that I’m excited about supporting:
● Board for Registration of Voters: Michelle Lefkowitz – Ward 3 resident who has served in this board for 27 years! enough said…
● Cemetery Commission: Miles McCallum – a new applicant, but years of experience and expertise!
● Fence Viewer: Vikas Mangipudi – a Ward 3 resident and deeply committed to serving our community.
● Planning Commission: Erin Malone – a local business owner and landlord who understands and serves our ONE and downtown community.
● Police Commission: Erin Jacobsen – an immigration lawyer who can bring critical perspectives at the intersection of immigration and policing.
I anticipate that the Board of Registration of Voters and Police Commission will be the most contested. I welcome you to listen in and/or join us at a public forum if you would like to support a candidate.
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. I am on vacation with my family this week, so apologies in advance for any slow replies.
Resolution on the Appointment Process for Commission/Board Appointments
https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/10005/files/attachment/16347
June 17, 2026 Boards and Commissions Selection Committee
https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/10040/files/agenda/20404
June 22, 2026 Boards and Commissions Selection Committee
https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/10049/files/agenda/20472
