REVISED

June 15, 2004

SUBJECT: BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS FOR 2004 – PHASE I SPRING RECRUITMENT

REPORT IN BRIEF

On June 7 and 14, 2004, staff scheduled 34 applicants for Council interviews to fill 27 vacancies on City Board and Commissions.  Please note that Virginia Runion, Ashok Saraf, Sandra Werner and Robert Locke applied for multiple Boards/Commissions.  On June 7, Sandra Werner withdrew her applications for the Board of Building Code Appeals, the Housing and Human Services Commission and the Planning Commission.  On June 9, Patrick Meyering sent an email to staff requesting that he also be considered for the Housing and Human Services Commission and the Board of Building Code Appeals in addition to his original application for the Personnel Board.  On June 10, Rose Kausek called the City Clerk’s office and asked to be considered for the Heritage Preservation Commission in addition to her original application for the Arts Commission.

On June 15, Jane Seshadri sent staff an email indicating her interest to serve on the Housing and Human Services Commission in addition to her original application for the Parks and Recreation Commission. On June 15, Richard Oliver phoned staff and asked to be considered for the Housing and Human Services Commission in addition to his original application for the Parks and Recreation Commission. On June 15, James Callan sent staff an email requesting his name be added to the Housing and Human Services Commission for consideration in addition to his original application to the Planning Commission.

Staff recommends Council make its appointments from the applicants listed in this report.

The terms for newly appointed Board and Commission members will begin on July 1, 2004.  Staff will follow up with an orientation after each member has taken the Oath of Office and signed the Code of Ethics.

BACKGROUND

Staff conducted a widespread recruitment for citizens interested in serving on a City Board or Commission from March 22 trough May 21, 2004.  Efforts were enhanced by a recruitment video shown on KSUN during the recruitment period, advertising on the City’s web site and press releases.  Staff’s outreach efforts also included advertisements in both the San Jose Mercury and The Sun.  Recruitment letters and flyers were mailed to local service clubs and businesses and posted throughout the City, and an announcement was made at each Council meeting during the recruitment period.

Approximately 60 applications were distributed to prospective candidates and 40 applications were submitted for consideration. Staff has verified that all of the applicants meet the residency and voter registration requirements, as applicable.

DISCUSSION

According to the City Charter, the Personnel Board is comprised of five members, three of these members are direct Council appointments and two are by nomination of the employees in the Classified service. The current vacancies are for one employee nominated seat and one Council appointed seat.  Staff has received three applications for the employee nominated seat, and approximately 1000 ballots were distributed to employees.  Twenty-one ballots were returned to the City Clerk’s Office and the results are:

Candidate	Yes Votes	No Votes
Karen Bushman (incumbent)	10	5
Robert Locke	5	7
Patrick Meyering	6	6

Other current vacancies, terms of appointments, and names of candidates are as follows:

Advisory Council to the Council on Aging	Vacancy (1)	Term Expires
Nancy McDonough (incumbent)		2007
Arts Commission	Vacancy (1)	Term Expires
Rose Kausek Barbara Morgan Robert Obrey		2008
Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee	Vacancy (3)	Term Expires
Farah Desai (did not interview) Ralph Durham Virginia Runion (did not interview)		2008
Board of Building Code Appeals	Vacancy (3)	Term Expires
Ted Faravelli (incumbent) Patrick Meyering (added June 9)		2007/2008(2)

 

Board of Library Trustees	Vacancy (2)	Term Expires
James Griffith Kathleen Meagher Virginia Runion (did not interview) Ashok Saraf Sidney Seidenstein (did not interview)		2008
Child Care Advisory Board	Vacancy (4)	Term Expires
Angela Carmack (did not interview) Jacqueline Sell Maxine Shea (did not interview)		2008
Heritage Preservation Commission	Vacancy (3)	Term Expires
Dawn Hopkins (incumbent) Rose Kausek (added June 10)		2007/2008(2)
Housing and Human Services Commission	Vacancy (4)	Term Expires
James Callan (added June 15) Patrick Meyering (added June 9) Richard Oliver (added June 15) Timothy Persyn Jane Seshadri (added June 15) Prabhakar Tenneti		2005/2007/ 2008(2)
Parks and Recreation Commission	Vacancy (2)	Term Expires
Howard Chuck Richard Fox William Kone Robert Locke Richard Oliver Ashok Saraf Jana Seshadri		2006/2008
Personnel Board	Vacancy (2)	Term Expires
Karen Bushman (incumbent for employee nominated seat) (did not interview) Robert Locke Patrick Meyering Ericka Reguerin (incumbent for Council appointed seat)		2008
Planning Commission	Vacancy (2)	Term Expires
Laura Babcock (incumbent) James Callan Richard Fox David Lee Robert Locke John Miller David Simons (incumbent)		2008

The following Boards and Commissions did not receive enough applicants to fill all their vacancies:

Board of Building Code Appeals – 1 short

Child Care Advisory Board – 1 short

Heritage Preservation Commission – 1 short

There are no quorum issues with the above Boards and Commissions without having all the vacancies filled.  If Council wishes, it can request that staff conduct a limited recruitment to fill these positions, or wait to fill them in the Fall Recruitment. A limited recruitment would entail re-posting a vacancy notice, announcements at City Council meetings, accepting applications until a sufficient number of applications are received, and scheduling interviews.

Per Council Policy 7.2.8, the appointment process is as follows:

“Placed as an agenda item at a City Council meeting, the Mayor will first announce the Board/Commission vacancy and its term, then will read each applicant’s name.  Council will vote on each applicant.  The candidate receiving the most votes, as well as a majority vote, will be appointed.  Should a tie occur, the affected applicants will be voted on again.  If a tie still remains, the Mayor will ask the City Attorney to draw a name of the person to be appointed.  An applicant must receive a majority vote to be appointed.  The process is duplicated for each board and commission.”

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact as a result of this report.

PUBLIC CONTACT

The public was notified of the recruitment for Boards and Commissions applicants via newspaper advertisements, press releases, the City Web Site, flyers, and KSUN.  Public contact was also made during the Public Announcements at City Council Meetings.

ALTERNATIVES

1. Make appointments from the candidates listed above, specifying the terms for each candidate for the Board/Commission that have multiple seats and terms.
2. Do not make appointments at this time.  Include these vacancies in the 2004 Phase II Fall Recruitment.
3. Request staff conduct a limited recruitment, as described in the report, to fill the remaining vacancies.
4. Request staff wait until the Fall Recruitment to fill the remaining vacancies.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends Alternatives 1 and 4.

Prepared by:

Donna Biles
Deputy City Clerk

Reviewed by:

Susan Ramos
City Clerk

Approved by:

Amy Chan
City Manager