REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Applicants to the Arts Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, Heritage Preservation Commission, Housing and Human Services Commission, and Parks and Recreation Commission
Report
DISCUSSION
The City has ten Council-appointed boards and commissions to recommend and advise City Council on specific policy-related issues for possible Council study and action, and to provide a forum and opportunity for broad community participation in the identification and prioritization of those issues.
The term length for boards and commissions is four years, with staggered terms expiring June 30 of each year. Council makes appointments annually in May/June to fill seats with expiring terms to serve terms effective July 1, and fills vacancies as necessary quarterly throughout the year.
Per Council Policy 7.2.19, Boards and Commissions appointments of board and commission members are placed on the City Council meeting agenda. The appointment process is conducted by one of the following two methods, at the discretion of the Mayor:
1. Individual Candidate Votes: The Mayor will announce by board or commission each vacancy including its term, and then will read each applicant’s name. Council will vote on each applicant. The candidate receiving the most affirmative votes and at least four affirmative votes will be appointed. The process is repeated for each board or commission.
2. Paper Votes: The Mayor will announce each board or commission in an order predetermined by the City Clerk to facilitate a speedy process and to accommodate applicants who specify multiple preferences. The City Clerk will distribute individual voting sheets to be completed by each Councilmember. The candidate receiving the most votes and at least four affirmative votes will be appointed.
Resolving ties: Should a tie between the candidates receiving the most affirmative votes occur, the affected applicants will be voted on again. If a tie remains, and the affected applicants each have received at least four affirmative votes, the Mayor would ask the City Attorney to draw the name of the person to be appointed.
Should no candidate receive at least four affirmative votes, the vacancy will remain.
Below is the list of applicants for current vacancies, the applicants’ preferences as indicated on their application when the applicant has applied for more than one board or commission. The term lengths vary, as these openings are to fill unexpired terms due to resignations or vacancies that remained following the previous recruitment process. Council will have the opportunity to specify the lengths of terms for the new appointees if multiple term lengths exist.
ARTS COMMISSION (2 vacancies: 1 term expires 6/1/2021, 1 term expires 6/30/2022)
Richard Avila (only preference)
Jeremie Gluckman (only preference)
Deepali Lugani (3rd preference)
Kiyoko Osone (only preference)
Sue Serrone (only preference)
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMISSION - Category Two* (2 vacancies: 1 term expires 6/1/2020, 1 term expires 6/30/2022)
Deepali Lugani (2nd preference)
Richard Mehlinger (1st preference)
Elizabeth Leia Mehlman (only preference)
Anting Shen (only preference)
HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION (2 vacancies: 1 term expires 6/1/2020, 1 term expires 6/30/2022)
Steve Caroompas (only preference)
Shanna Gaudenti (only preference)
Jodi Marvet (only preference)
Richard Mehlinger (2nd preference)
HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION (1 vacancy: term expires 6/30/2022)
Narottam Joshi (3rd preference)
Mark Mollineaux (only preference)
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION (1 vacancy: term expires 6/30/2019)
Prakash Giri (only preference)
Narottam Joshi (1st preference)
Ravi Purushotma (only preference)
Kedar Rajadnya (only preference)
* Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission must have four Category One members and three Category Two members; the balance of the current makeup is four Category One and one Category Two member.
A vacancy also exists on the Personnel Board in the employee-nominated category. City Charter Section 1007 requires that two of the members of the Personnel Board shall be appointed by the City Council from a list of five persons nominated by election of the employees in the Classified Service. If the employees in the Classified Service do not nominate one or more persons to fill a vacancy within six months of written notification (notice was given May 1, 2018) the City Council may appoint a member directly to fill the vacancy. The six-month period for receiving nominations from employees for this vacancy will expire November 1, 2018. The appointment for this vacancy on the Personnel Board will be scheduled later in November.
Terms of members appointed at this time will become effective immediately. Following appointments, the staff liaison for each board or commission will provide a board/commission-specific orientation and each new member is required to take the Oath of Office, sign the Model of Excellence and attend the Board and Commission Orientation hosted by the Office of the City Clerk. A ceremonial oath will be offered to all incoming members.
EXISTING POLICY
On April 21, 2015, Council adopted revisions to Council Policy 7.2.19 Boards and Commissions regarding the appointment of board and commission members to allow for paper votes or individual candidate votes, at the discretion of the Mayor.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Appoint commissioners from the applicants listed in this report, and specify term lengths where applicable.
2. Provide other direction to staff on how to proceed.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff makes no recommendation.
Staff
Prepared by: Michelle Radcliffe, Deputy City Clerk
Reviewed by: Kathleen Franco Simmons, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager