If Highland Village Parks and Rec Advisory Board member Hogan Heathington could sum up his time serving the city he grew up in, he would say it has been rewarding. Now, he’s calling on other citizens to follow him in joining a City board.
“Being able to engage and serve the community and to get my peers’ opinions and speaking on their behalf has been very important,” said Heathington. “It’s a great opportunity for anyone interested in being a positive influence in the city and working with our great city staff.”
The application deadline is Thursday, July 31. Heathington said the application and interview process was very simple when he did it in 2021 before he was accepted and started volunteering in 2022.
Once an applicant submits the application, they will go in to talk with City Council. They’ll ask the applicant what experience they have and what they’re interested in doing as a member of the board.
Then, Heathington said he just waited until council called back to let him know he got the position.
One of the reasons Heathington joined the board was to give back to the city and community where he grew up.
“I grew up here, went to college, returned and now I live here again,” he said. “I was looking for opportunities to give back to the community and getting engaged in our local politics in this volunteer capacity felt like a good avenue to do so.”
In addition to helping make decisions in regard to the city’s parks, Heathington has been able to engage more with his fellow Highland Village citizens.
“Whenever I’m doing anything at a park, I’m always engaging with people and listening to what they have to say about our wonderful parks and recreation programs,” he said. “Since joining the board, I have a desire to really go out and engage with more people and have increased my connection with other residents.”
One of Heathington’s favorite moments on the board was when he and another board member worked together and rallied to bring more pickleball courts to the City.
They talked to the Phil Lozano, Highland Village’s Parks Director, and the outcome was a plan for 12 new courts at Unity Park.
Serving on a board can be a time commitment, but Heathington said it isn’t anything that should prevent someone from applying and serving.
The Parks and Rec Board typically meets once per month, but sometimes meetings are canceled if nothing needs to be discussed at that point in time.
Other boards, like the Community Development Corporation Board or the Ethics Board, only meet on an as-needed basis.
“Outside of the meetings, it comes down to how often the person wants to engage and participate in the board and activities we’re doing,” said Heathington. “When I joined, I wanted to engage more because I was driven to be more connected with the community and parks events.”
For more information on Highland Village’s Boards and Commissions and to submit an application, visit the city’s website.
