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City Councilmember Dona Spring has sponsored a recommendation to name June 17 Charles Betcher Day in honor of the retired hospital administrator’s indefatigable work on city and county commissions and committees. 

City Council likely will approve the recommendation during Tuesday’s meeting. 

Betcher, 82, serves on a long list of government advisory bodies. He is vice chair of the Commission on Aging, vice chair on the Commission on Disability and vice chair of the Paratransit Alameda County Committee. 

He also co-chairs the Gray Panthers of Berkeley and is president of the Bus Riders Union of the East Bay. He is the immediate past president of the United Seniors and former chair of the Transportation Commission.  

“The commission system in Berkeley is beautiful,” Betcher said. “It’s a fine system that encourages citizens, especially low-income citizens, to participate in city government.” 

Berkeley is renowned for the number of commissions that advise city departments and City Council. Berkeley has 48 commissions. 

“Charlie Betcher is an unsung hero,” Spring said. “He’s done such fantastic work for so many years. He’s a real dynamo and has always managed to get along with everyone.” 

Due to term limits, Betcher will resign from both the Commission on Aging and the Commission on Disability next year. He said he might ask to be appointed to other city commissions. 

“You know, I haven’t even thought about it yet,” he said. “I am pleased and honored to work on the city’s commissions but mostly I serve on them because I have a short attention span and unless I’m doing something different all the time I get bored.”