Resident Engagement

• Flexible
• Low Commitment
• Great Way to Connect with Neighbors
• No Application Process to Participate

• Structured
• Medium-Long Term Commitment
• Terms Governed By Government Charters or Nonprofit By-Laws
• Requires Application and Appointment from Mayor
• May Require City Residency

TNT stands for Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today, a forward-looking collaboration that brings together many different neighborhood stakeholders to make each neighborhood in Syracuse a better place to live. 

TNT is a 501c3 Charitable organization that is directed by a 16 member Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of 2 Board members from each Neighborhood sector.  There are 8 Sectors; these include Downtown, Westside, Southside, Valley, Eastside, Eastwood, Northside and Lakefront.

TNT sector groups bring together individuals, residents, professionals and officials who recognize and understand the varied aspects of each unique neighborhood within Syracuse. Using respectful dialogue, we work together to identify key issues, and problem solve by means of our network of resources.

TNT identifies and builds upon community assets, and develops workable plans and priorities for our neighborhoods. The plans direct resources in the most important areas in the most cost-effective ways. This process strengthens the democracy that is critical for a healthy city, improves the quality of life in our city, and builds the capacity for our city to solve problems and create a desirable future.

Find out more about Tomorrow's Neighborhoods Today here.

Please find below opportunities to serve on the accompanying boards, commissions, and committees:

• Board of Elevator Examiners
• Board of Mechanical Examiners
• Board of Zoning Appeals
• City Planning Commission
• The LGBTQ+ Advisory Board 
• Quality of Life Commission
• Syracuse Parks Conservancy

You can find the application for open positions here.

The Aging Advisory Board is a twenty-member Board appointed by the Mayor and the Onondaga County Executive, of which the Mayor may appoint 10 members. The Board has the responsibility of assisting the Onondaga County Office for Aging in providing seniors aged 60 and older with programs and services that meet their diverse needs. This entity’s regular meetings are open to the public.

The Board of Assessment Review is a five-member Board appointed by the City Common Council. The Board has the responsibility of reviewing the grievances of property tax owners who feel their assessments are unequal, excessive or unlawful, or that their property is misclassified. It has the ability to review exempt status. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Board of Electrical Examiners is a six-member board appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of establishing and maintaining a City licensing system for electricians; establishing the minimum qualifications, review and approval for applicants for any City Electrician's License; conducting hearings to investigate alleged deviations from this code's requirements; and for continuous review, revision, and interpretation of the Code. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Board of Ethics is a five-member board appointed by the Mayor, with confirmation from the City Common Council. The Board of Ethics is authorized under NY General Municipal Law and Local Law to render advisory opinions to officers and employees of the City of Syracuse with respect to the City’s Code of Ethics and required financial disclosure. Currently the City’s Code of Ethics contains general prohibitions regarding self-dealing; disclosure of conflicts of interest; recusals based on conflicts; post-employment representation; gifts; management of confidential information; and compensation for outside services. This entity meets annually, with additional meetings as needed. While their meetings are open to the public, the nature of the work may often require executive sessions.

The Board of Elevator Examiners is a nine-member board appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of establishing and maintaining a City licensing system for elevator examiners; establishing the minimum qualifications; reviewing and approving applicants for any City License; conducting hearings to investigate alleged deviations from this code's requirements; and for continuous review, revision, and interpretation of the Code. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Board of Mechanical Examiners is  an eight-member board, appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of establishing and maintaining of a City licensing system for mechanical engineers through minimum qualifications; reviewing and approving applicants for any City License; conducting hearings to investigate alleged deviations from this code's requirements; and for continuous review, revision, and interpretation of the Code. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) is a seven-member board appointed by the Mayor. This Board is responsible for hearing, deciding, granting or denying applications for variances and exceptions as provided within the City of Syracuse Zoning Rules and Regulations, as amended; and decides on any questions involving the interpretation of said zoning regulations. This entity's meetings are open to the public.

The Citizen's Review Board (CRB) is an eleven-member board appointed by the Common Council and the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of ensuring an open citizen-controlled process for reviewing grievances involving members of the Syracuse Police Department. The CRB works to provide public accountability over the authority exercised by members of the Syracuse Police Department, preservation of the integrity of the Syracuse Police Department, and a forum for citizen complaints regarding members of the Syracuse Police Department to be heard and reviewed fairly and impartially. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Planning Commission is a five-member commission appointed by the Mayor. The commission has the responsibility of preparing and maintaining a comprehensive development plan for the City and all land within three miles of the boundaries of the City, making recommendations to the Mayor and Common Council, making decisions on all applicable zoning matters (such as new streets, proposed widening, extending or discontinuing of streets), preparing a comprehensive zoning plan, zoning ordinance and official zoning mapping, and making decisions on subdivisions within three miles of the City. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The CNY Works Board has 50% of appointments made by the Mayor and 50% by the County Executive. By federal regulation, 50% of the Board must represent business, 20% organized labor, and 5 seats are reserved for workforce development partners. The remaining seats represent the community at large. Directors have the responsibility of overseeing the region’s Workforce Development Board as defined by US and NYS Departments of Labor. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Crouse-Marshall Business Improvement District is governed by a fifteen-member Board of Directors. Eleven positions are appointed and four positions (two property owners and two tenants) are filled via elections. For elected positions, eligible representatives may express interest in serving and have their name added to a ballot. Of the eleven appointed positions, the Mayor, the City Chief Financial Officer, and Common Council may each appoint one director. The organization has the responsibility of establishing strategic direction for the CMBID district; overseeing the operations of the CMBID; proposing annual budgets to the Mayor and Common Council; and ensuring that the district is clean and safe by operating programs in environmental maintenance, security, marketing, and undertaking capital repairs and improvements. This entity provides public notice of its meetings.

The Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. is governed by a fifteen-member Board of Directors appointed by the Mayor. This Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization, making recommendations to the Mayor on downtown needs, and preparing and recommending the annual district budget to the Mayor. Meetings are posted on their website as well as legal ads with future meeting date/location/time.

The Everson Museum Board of Trustees is a 24-member board with one ex-officio member appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility as the first museum devoted to collecting American art to make possible direct encounters with all art through its collections, exhibitions, scholarship, and educational programs. This entity’s meetings are closed to the public.

The Greater Syracuse Land Bank Board of Directors is a five-member board with one member appointed by the Mayor and 1 jointly appointed by the Mayor and the County Executive. The Land Bank is responsible for addressing the problems of vacant, abandoned, or tax delinquent properties in the City of Syracuse and the County of Onondaga in a coordinated manner through the acquisition of real property, with the goal of returning that property to productive use in order to strengthen the economy, improve the quality of life, and improve the financial condition of the municipalities. The Board of Directors is responsible for the financial management and governance of the organization; they supervise the executive director, set the policies and procedures, and approve of any expenditures and acquisition or sale of property.  The Land Bank Board of Directors meetings are open to the public and occur at 8:00 AM on the third Tuesday of each month. Meeting notices, minutes, and agendas are posted on their website.

The Greater Syracuse Land Bank Citizens Advisory Board is a nine-member board with two members appointed by the Mayor. The Citizens Advisory Board was established by the Syracuse Common Council to provide input to the Land Bank regarding community priorities for properties eligible for the Land Bank and other vacant or tax-delinquent properties throughout the City and County and present its findings and recommendations to the Land Bank, City, and County. This entity's meetings are not open to the public.

The Joint School Construction Board is a seven-member board with three members appointed by the Mayor. The Mayor and School Superintendent are board members. The Mayor appoints three members, and the Superintendent appoints two members. The Board has the responsibility of managing the reconstruction of City Schools through special bonds authorized by NYS. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Justice Center Oversight Committee (JCOC) is a nine-member committee with one member appointed by the Mayor. The committee has the responsibility of reviewing serious complaints and incidents that involve the Onondaga County Jail (known as the Justice Center); generating related recommendations about Justice Center policy, procedure and training; and transmitting its recommendations to the Sheriff, the County Executive, and to key leaders of the County Legislature, in order to assist them in preventing future incidents within the Justice Center.  These recommendations only address Justice Center policy, procedure and training; the JCOC does not make recommendations related to discipline of jail staff. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The LGBTQ+ Advisory Board is an 18-member board appointed by the Mayor. The Board is a mechanism for representatives of the LGBTQ+ community to provide input and feedback to the City on matters of policy, programming, procedure and training. This entity's meetings are closed to the public.

The Myrtle Hill Cemetery Board is a 5-member board with all members appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of upkeeping and overseeing Myrtle Hill Cemetery. This entity’s meetings are not open to the public, but guests may request an invite.

The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) Board is a public benefit corporation created by New York State comprised of fourteen members, six of which are appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of providing a comprehensive solid waste management system that is environmentally, socially and fiscally sound, and by helping make the community more sustainable and healthy through waste reduction, recycling, composting, energy recovery, disposal and education. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Quality of Life Commission is a twenty-member commission appointed by the Mayor. The Commission advises the Mayor on neighborhood issues like beautification, ordinance enforcement, and nuisance crimes. This entity’s meetings are closed to the public.

The Surveillance Technology Working Group is a 12-15 member working group appointed by the Mayor. This working group is responsible for evaluating new technologies proposed for adoption by municipal departments, requesting public feedback and maintaining a surveillance technology inventory. Meetings are closed to the public, but meeting minutes are posted online afterwards.

The Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) is an eleven-member board appointed by the Mayor. The board has the responsibility of managing the business and affairs of the corporation; making the necessary rules and regulations for the management of the business and the guidance of officers/employees/agents; executing direct oversight of the executive director and other senior management in the effective/ethical management of the corporation; review and monitor the implementation of financial management controls and operational decisions; participate in state-approved training within one year of appointment and continue training as required; approve every financial report submitted for the corporation. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Syracuse Housing Authority (SHA) Board of Commissioners is comprised of a group of seven individuals. The Mayor appoints five board members, and the public housing residents elect two board members from the tenant population of all SHA developments. The Housing Authority owns or manages fifteen residential affordable housing developments in the city, with more than 2,500 apartments. Appointed members of the board serve for five years, while elected members serve for two years.

The Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board is a nine-member board appointed by the Mayor. The board reviews material changes in appearance to any property that is in a Local Preservation District or that has been designated a Local Protected Site. The Board reviews demolition proposals for any property that may be eligible for historic designation. The Board also recommends to the City Planning Commission the designation of Local Protected Sites and Local Preservation Districts. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Human Rights Commission is a 24-member commission, with twelve members appointed by the County Executive; six members appointed by the Mayor; and six members appointed by the County Legislature. The Commission has the responsibility to foster the growth and development of the County in the area of human relations, creating a climate in which county residents of all races, creeds, religious and political beliefs can understand and respect each other. This entity's meetings are open to the public.

The Syracuse/Onondaga County Youth Bureau is a 24-member board, with nine members being appointed by the Mayor, two of whom shall be youths under the age of 21, and one appointed by the President of the Syracuse Common Council. The Board has the responsibility of advising the County Executive and Director of the Division of Youth Bureau on the programs, policies and procedures of the Division; assisting in the procurement of federal, state and private funds; implementing the division’s programs; and preparing and submitting to the Director an annual report. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Syracuse Industrial Development Agency (SIDA) is a five-member board appointed by the Mayor. The Board has the responsibility of managing the business and affairs of the corporation; making the necessary rules and regulations for the management of the business and the guidance of officers/employees/agents; executing direct oversight of the executive director and other senior management in the effective/ethical management of the corporation; reviewing and monitoring the implementation of financial management controls and operational decisions; participating in state-approved training within one year of appointment and continuing training as required; approving every financial report submitted for the corporation. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Syracuse Public Art Commission (SPAC) is an eleven-member commission appointed by the Mayor and Common Council. The Commission is responsible for curating the City’s public art collection and facilitating the installation of new artwork on public property through an application and review process. The Commission also seeks to encourage the growth of public art throughout the city by providing technical and educational assistance to artists, community groups and the general public. This entity’s meetings are open to the public.

The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) is a public benefit corporation established to operate Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR). The Board consists of eleven members, seven of whom are appointed by the Mayor. The Mission of the SRAA is to provide a safe, convenient, seamless passenger experience while enhancing economic opportunity, development, and growth in Upstate New York. SRAA meetings are open to the public.

The Tick and Deer Management Advisory Board is a mix of constituent volunteers, government offices, and nonprofit agencies. The Board has the responsibility of providing guidance and input on the City's tick and deer management program.

The City also welcomes residents who will track deer sightings at their property on a daily basis throughout the year. “Deer Diarists” submit a form on a monthly basis. This data assists the Advisory Board in tracking deer populations in the City of Syracuse. To get involved in "Deer Diaries", please email Mayor@syrgov.net.