REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Appoint Applicants to the Charter Review Committee
Report
DISCUSSION
On September 26, 2017 Council established a Charter Review Committee (CRC) to review and analyze City Charter Section 604 (Filling Vacancies in Council Seats). On October 17, 2017, Council established the number of members at 11 and directed a recruitment process similar to the City’s boards and commissions. On November 28, 2017 the City Council amended the action previously taken on October 17 regarding the appointment process to allow selection of members by reviewing applications submitted and eliminating the in person interview. The CRC will meet as needed from January through April 2018, and is expected to complete its task by May 2018. Council will consider the recommendations of the CRC tentatively in June 2018 and may provide direction at that time to prepare for a ballot measure to submit a Charter Amendment to City voters in the November 6, 2018 General Municipal Election.
The CRC recruitment was advertised via the City website, display ads in the Sunnyvale Sun, posts on Nextdoor, Facebook and Twitter, on the Library display board, and email notifications to board and commission members, recent board and commission applicants, Neighborhood Association leaders, and Leadership Sunnyvale.
The Office of the City Clerk received 15 applications by the November 17, 2017 administrative deadline from the following individuals:
Linda Davis
Melinda Hamilton
Arthur Henrick
Dawn Hopkins
John Howe
Marc Ketzel
Richard Mehlinger
Amanda Richey
Steve Scandalis
Avanindar Singh
William Stewart Jr.
Lawrence Stone
Jack Walker
Carol Weiss
David Ybarra
Two additional applications were received after the deadline and are included for consideration at Council’s discretion:
Hannalore Dietrich
Andrew LaManque
Following appointments, Office of the City Clerk staff will administer an oath of office and members will be asked to sign the City’s Model of Excellence.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.2.19 Boards and Commissions provides that the appointment process is conducted per one of the following two methods, at the discretion of the Mayor:
Individual Candidate Votes: 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.
Paper Votes: 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.
The Mayor has selected Paper Ballot Voting for the Charter Review Committee appointment process.
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. If vacancies still exist after the appointment process is conducted, staff shall inform Council of alternative courses of action.
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 11 committee members from the applicants listed in this report.
2. Provide other direction to staff on how to proceed.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff makes no recommendation.
Staff
Prepared by: Lisa Natusch, Deputy City Clerk
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Interim Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, Interim City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. Charter Review Committee Applications