By Liz Moomey
liz.moomey@salisburypost.com

LANDIS — In the first full meeting of the new Landis Board of Aldermen on Monday, members set up various citizen advisory committees.

On Dec. 9, the new members of the board were sworn in and at the end of the meeting, they decided to recess for a week.

The new citizen advisory committees include a Census Committee, Environmental Committee, Communication Committee and the Downtown Revitalization and Beautification Committee.

“We will move to have different committees all throughout the town for you citizens to be involved in everything we have,” said Mayor Meredith Smith.

She said there will be five advisory committees. One yet-to-be-created committee will be one focused on bringing the town up to code for people with disabilities. 

“We’re going to try to start five, maybe more at some point, citizen advisory boards across the town, whether that be beautification, whether that be environmental, recycling issues,” Smith said.

Aldermen unanimously approved a resolution creating the committees.

The resolution directs Town Manager Roger Hosey to develop a uniform policy for the operations, appointments to and removal of members to the citizen advisory committees established by the board.

The members of the committees should not be a town of Landis employee and will be volunteers that will serve at the pleasure of the Board of Aldermen, according to the resolution.

No committee will have authority as a body to enter into any contracts, solicit or expend any public funds on behalf of the town, the resolution states.

Town staff will assist the members of the citizen advisory committees.

Smith said the board will fill the positions on the committees and also the vacant seat on the Planning Board from Darrell Overcash’s appointment to the Board of Aldermen. He will serve as the board’s liaison.

Applications will be available on the town’s website and can be turned in February. The board will review the applications and make appointments.

The aldermen went into a lengthy executive session lasting more than two hours to discuss legal and personnel matters. After coming out of the executive session, the aldermen immediately adjourned without any discussion.

The Landis aldermen will next meet Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.