MTC Extends Advisory Council Recruitment Deadline

OAKLAND, CA —The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is extending the deadline to receive applications for the next term of its Policy Advisory Council to Friday, May 17.

MTC – the San Francisco Bay Area’s transportation planning and financing agency – is recruiting 27 individuals to jump into the transportation arena, learn about the complexities of funding, and help identify the connections between transportation and land use, housing and air quality. The new four-year term of the agency’s Policy Advisory Council will begin in September.

The mission of the panel is to advise MTC on transportation policies in the San Francisco Bay Area, incorporating diverse perspectives relating to the environment, the economy and social equity. Advisors are eligible for a stipend to cover the cost of meeting attendance. The group will advise the Commission on a variety of issues including:

Regional planning efforts linking transportation, housing and land use plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Public transit service productivity and efficiency improvements.
Pursuit of new revenues to build a system that could better serve all Bay Area residents.

“MTC is extending our deadline in order to give more residents an opportunity to apply. This region is full of knowledgeable, experienced and educated individuals, and we want to make sure those who are interested in serving get a chance,” said MTC Chair Amy Worth.

Policy Advisory Council membership is structured around issues relating to the economy, the environment and social equity. A total of nine members will be appointed to represent economic and environmental perspectives, nine members will represent communities of color and issues affecting low-income communities or environmental justice, and nine members will represent the interests of seniors or persons with disabilities.

The new application deadline is Friday, May 17, 2013. No specific educational background is needed for most seats, just an interest in transportation and how it affects residents in each of the nine Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma). Experience in working on public policy issues or community-related issues is desirable.

Policy Advisory Council members serve a four-year term beginning in September 2013. Appointees should maintain an ongoing engagement with organizations and individuals from the categories and communities they represent. Committee members are expected to attend monthly meetings held on the second Wednesday afternoon of each month at MTC’s offices in Oakland. While positions are voluntary, committee members do receive a stipend for their attendance at certain meetings. All meetings are open to the public and are audiocast via MTC’s website.

MTC’s governing board of commissioners will review all applications and make final appointments in June. To apply for a position or to learn more about the Policy Advisory Council, visit www.mtc.ca.gov/get_involved/advisory, phone (415) 778-6757, or visit the MTC offices at 101 Eighth Street in Oakland during regular business hours.

MTC is the regional transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

Contact:

Pam Grove: (415) 778-6706

Leslie Lara: (510) 817-5813