State College Borough Council members and paid staffers work together to guide the borough in the right direction, but they probably couldn't do it without the help of the authorities, boards and commissions.

About 100 State College residents serve on more than 20 authorities, boards and commissions, which were created by the council. The members assist the borough in a variety of ways.

"They give invaluable input and have expertise in many different fields," said council member Ruth Lavin.

The members of the organizations are volunteers who research issues, hold public hearings and provide input to the council.

"We base a lot of what we do on the recommendations from the ABCs," said council member Janet Knauer said.

Some of the borough's authorities, boards and commissions include the Parks and Recreation Board, the Planning Commission, the Commission for Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, the Zoning Hearing Board, the Parking Authority and the Water Authority.

Knauer said the council appointed three students to positions last year.

Mike King, a candidate for Undergraduate Student Government president, was appointed in December to serve on the Commission for Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. King, who brings student concerns to the commission, said he enjoys serving and would not want to be paid.

"I feel like I'm making a contribution to State College and student life," King said. "It's part of my civic duty."

King also serves as an informal member to the Tree Commission. While his membership on this organization is not a glamorous one, he said he works to address issues of tree vandalism.

"When I tell people that I'm a member of the Tree Commission, people laugh at me," King said.

Stanford Lembeck, an 11-year veteran of the Zoning Hearing Board and professor of agricultural economics and rural sociology, said he enjoys serving on the board because his professional life is oriented toward local government.

"The notion of service to your community somehow got into my brain at an early age," Lembeck said.

Lembeck said the board deals with issues in his personal area of expertise and he enjoys sharing his knowledge with the community.

"I think that it is one of the costs of citizenship to contribute," he said. "It's truly enjoyable for me."

As a quasi-judicial body, the Zoning Hearing Board consists of three regular members and an alternate member. The board holds hearings on disputed claims and alleged infractions and is responsible for deciding appeals alleging the zoning office made a mistake in applying its regulations.

"It's like a little court," Knauer said. The members serve for three-year terms and are not allowed to hold other offices in State College.

The Planning Commission, an advisory organization, reviews comprehensive plan issues, prepares zoning ordinance amendments and makes proposals on plans to rezone land. The commission also analyzes the borough's Capital Improvement Plan.

The commission is made up of seven State College residents who served for four-year terms. One member acts as the borough's representative to the Centre Regional Planning Commission.

The Water Authority operates independently from the council with an appointed manager and staff. The authority was created by the council to acquire, maintain and improve a quality water distribution system in the borough. Five residents are appointed to serve five-year terms.

"We have people on the Water Authority that are experts in the field," Lavin said.

The authorities, boards and commissions allow the council to bypass preliminary material, so when the issue comes before the council, the organizations have gotten to the heart of the problem, Lavin said.

Knauer agreed that the organizations help relieve some of the pressure of council members.

"Council would have to spend a lot more time if we were the only ones to listen to all the problems that came up," Knauer said. "If the seven of us had to do all of that, we probably wouldn't have enough time."