Boards and Commissions

The City of Osawatomie has a variety of public service opportunities for residents. The City Council and Mayor are elected positions and are voted on by members of the public. Appointed boards or commissions have their own eligibility requirements and members must be formally appointed by City Council. Seats on these boards and commissions are not voted on by members of the public.

When an appointed board or commission has a vacancy, a "Call for Applicants" may be issued to gather applications. When more applications are received than there are seats available, City staff or existing members of the commission may conduct brief interviews with applicants to determine a best fit. Their selected applicant(s) is then presented to the City Council for final consideration and appointment. For those that apply between open calls or those that aren't selected for appointment, Public Service Applications are kept on file for three years for consideration for future vacancies.

Download Public Service Application

City Council

This elected Governing Body meets to provide direction to the City Manager and City staff on the business of the City. These issues include financial issues (such as taxes, utility rates and budgets) as well as policy issues such as economic development, public safety, and property standards. Stay up-to-date on Council business by subscribing to Agenda notifications.

Trails Commission

The Osawatomie Trails Commission was formed with a singular mission: to imagine, create, and maintain a variety of pedestrian trails in and around the City of Osawatomie and its community. Our designation as the easternmost trailhead for the Flint Hills Trail State Park opened the door for outdoor recreation in our community and the Trails Commission is dedicated to providing sustainable, accessible, and entertaining recreation options for all ages and abilities.

Planning & Zoning Commission

The Planning and Zoning Commission is responsible for reviewing City Code and regulations or policies related to building, development, planning, and zoning. The Planning and Zoning Commission focuses on community development projects and are active participants in the City's comprehensive and strategic plans. The Commission also acts as the Zoning Appeals Board.

Tourism Committee

The Tourism Committee provides support to the City's "Signature Event" series and their individual event committees and makes recommendations to the Governing Body on tourism and marketing policies. Working together, members of the Tourism Committee assist in developing a strategic tourism and marketing plan for the City and review and make recommendations on the expenditure of transient guest tax revenues collected by the City. The Committee also provides input and review of the City Manager’s submitted budget related to signature events.

Arts Commission

The goal of the Commission is to focus primarily on the introduction and implementation of public art projects and arts-and-culture projects within and around the City limits, and to develop public art projects that may also integrate with other public art projects, installations, or objectives in the region including the Kansas City metropolitan area and other urban, suburban, or rural centers.

Public Library Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is tasked with ensuring that the Osawatomie Public Library is a benefit to the community and is run in accordance with applicable statutes. The Board of Trustees is an advisory board and assists with policy making and other advisory tasks. As a City Department, the Public Library's Director reports to both the Library Board and the City Manager. Working with the Director, the operation of the Library (such as personnel, budget, etc.) is the responsibility of the City Manager.