The City of Ripon is seeking applications and nominations for Poet Laureate.

This is a non-salaried honorary position, with compensation responsibilities for the purpose of presenting original poems at various official functions and occasions, according to the city website (www.cityofripon.org).

Those interested must be a creator and lover of poetry with public speaking abilities and a resident of Ripon.

As for the terms of office, the poet laureate position is that of a three-year period – from July 1 through June 3, on even years – with the person selected being capped at no more than two consecutive terms or six straight years.

Back in June, the Ripon City Council gave staff the go-ahead on the first installment of the Poet Laureate grant money to the Ripon Arts League, in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding approved a month earlier.

Prior to that, the city received a grant of $15,000 of funding over the next three years from the Library & Literacy Foundation of San Joaquin County.

The philanthropic organization by the San Joaquin Community Foundation helped Ripon and other cities in establishing the first-ever Poet Laureate Program.

Ripon is looking to join Manteca, Lodi, Tracy and Stockton in selecting a poet laureate.

The Ripon Arts League, in addition, assembled a committee to oversee the process of picking this person to fill those shoes.

Applications or more information are available on the City of Ripon website or by calling 209.599.2108.