In the wake of three resignations from the Woodmen Hills Metro District Board of Directors, new members were appointed at the Dec. 18 regularly scheduled board meeting. Marge Vega, Deborah Wright and Keith Moulton will fill the vacated seats until the WHMD election in May 2010.Jan Pizzi, WHMD board president, said it was important to appoint board members quickly and begin addressing the problems facing the community. Pizzi and the other remaining board member, Jennifer Barber, put out a call for applications via e-mail and an insert in the WHMD water bill. She said the district received 10 applications and conducted interviews in mid-December.A committee of five Woodmen Hills residents, including Pizzi and Barber, interviewed prospective members. Pizzi said she and Barber wanted to ensure the community that the decision was not made by the remaining board members alone.The newly selected committee members are residents known for their participation in the community, previous service on neighborhood committees or regular attendance at WHMD board meetings, Pizzi said.All candidates were questioned about their professional background, strategic planning abilities and financial and budgeting experience. They were asked to describe their leadership style, prior community involvement and availability to regularly attend board meetings and community events.Pizzi said the committee rated the applicants based on their answers. Two of the five top candidates received perfect scores.Bob Harrelson, Woodmen Hills resident since 1997, served on the selection committee. He said he regularly attends WHMD board meetings, frequently uses the neighborhood’s recreational facilities and is involved with the Falcon Youth Sports League.Harrelson said the selection process worked well because it focused on the candidates’ professional backgrounds and community service. He said the decision was easy and he feels good about the new board members.”It’s always better off if you have a group of people that are working together,” Harrelson said. “We have the right talents and strengths on the board to move forward.”The board should now focus its efforts on issues like WHMD’s bond repayment and developing a strategic plan for the community, he added.David Hightower is another Woodmen Hills resident concerned about the district’s debt and current repayment schedule. He said he submitted a letter of interest to the WHMD board and was interviewed for a board position. Although the committee did not select him, Hightower said the interview process was fair and equitable.Hightower maintains a Web site – www.woodmenhillsrecall.com – to keep the community informed about issues facing the district.”I’m not for or against the board,” Hightower said. “Maybe they are doing the best job they can, but if they are, they are doing a poor job of advertising it.”Hightower said moving forward, the board needs to be more transparent, provide better meeting minutes and work harder to get the community more involved.
