Mayor Katjana Ballantyne plans to re-evaluate the application and selection process for city boards and commissions in an effort to make them more inclusive.
Ballantyne said the goal is to address barriers to serving on local boards, including access to application materials and lack of communication of resident openings.
"There are so many ways for residents to get involved and help shape the future of Somerville, but for some, the process to join a board or commission or the logistics of serving creates barriers that keep them from participating," Ballantyne said in a statement. "If we want to live up to our values of equity and inclusivity, we need to break down those barriers so that our boards and commissions are representative of the wonderful diversity in our community."
