Where are our volunteer committees, boards and commissions?

I read this article http://eastcountymagazine.org/node/6227 about La Mesa seeking members for their boards, commissions and committees. I understand we are not as big as La Mesa and this is not so much a comparison of us and them, but more about the framework in how they approach their city at the citizen level beyond the elected officials and city staff. 

Now its no surprise that the budget is very tight here in Lemon Grove. However, I can't help but think that we are to solely rely on our city staff and council to do all the thinking for its taxpaying citizens. I also simply can't buy the argument that we are all too busy with life, family and working two or three jobs that contributing a small amount of free time to the community is out of the question.

I have seen community action here in bits and pieces and the interactivity when folks are engaged and get to participate, so I don't think its a matter of lack of free time or creative ideas. What is it?

If there is something that I have learned in life about an individual's inaction, it falls into two categories:

1. Don't know how to

2. Aren't willing to (fear of change, fear of being heard, fear of not being heard)

So my question is: Did we have these citizen groups in the past and they didn't work out? Are there other obstacles that might prevent these from developing again? 

I think at times from some comments I hear, that we shortchange ourselves in Lemon Grove and are too accepting of what is and shrug our shoulders. We have great businesses and people here, lets not lose it to complacency and acceptance of the status quo.