June 13, 2006
SUBJECT: BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS (Based on 2006 Spring Recruitment)
REPORT IN BRIEF
The Office of the City Clerk received 25 applications with three individuals applying for more than one Board/Commission by the recruitment deadline of May 12, 2006. Council interviewed 23 applicants on June 1 and 7, 2006. The remaining two applications were forwarded to Council for consideration; however, both applicants were unable to attend the scheduled interviews due to out-of-state travel. Both applicants requested that they be considered for appointment based on their applications. Staff recommends that Council confirms appointments from the applicants listed in this report. The terms for these newly appointed Board and Commission members will be effective as of July 1, 2006 and will continue until the specified term expires.
BACKGROUND
Staff conducted a Citywide recruitment between March 1 and May 12, 2006. Outreach efforts included: Council meeting announcements; advertising on the City’s web site; news releases; an article in the Spring Quarterly Report; flyers distributed to City facilities; advertisements on KSUN; a board and commission informational meeting; emailed incumbents; two advertisements in the Sunnyvale Sun and two in the San Jose Mercury; two announcements in the City’s Volunteer Newsletter; email notification to present and past “City Skills” and “Leadership Sunnyvale” participants; recruitment information on the City’s website under the Events Section for April and May; applications, flyers and announcements presented at quarterly meetings of Neighborhood Associations and City Skills classes, and a recruitment table at the Health and Safety Fair.
Following the May 12, 2006 deadline, staff verified that all of the applicants met the residency and voter registration requirements as applicable.
DISCUSSION
Current Board/Commission vacancies, terms of appointments, and names of candidates are as follows:
|
Arts Commission |
Vacancy (1) |
Term Expires |
|
Roland Wanigatunga |
|
June 30, 2010 |
|
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee |
Vacancy (4) |
Terms Expire |
|
Thomas Granvold
Jeremy Hubble
Kevin Jackson (Incumbent)
Jim Lauth (not available on interview dates)
James Manitakos, Jr.
John “Thomas” Mayer (Incumbent)
Richard Ober
Shawn Storm
Richard Warner |
|
June 30, 2010 |
|
Board of Building Code Appeals |
Vacancy (2) |
Terms Expire |
|
Patrick Walz
|
|
June 30, 2008
June 30, 2007 |
|
Board of Library Trustees |
Vacancy (2) |
Term Expires |
|
Narendra Pathak |
|
June 30, 2010
June 30, 2007 |
|
Child Care Advisory Board |
Vacancy (2) |
Terms Expire |
|
Manijeh Khazeni
Kimberly Stewart |
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
Heritage Preservation Commission |
Vacancy (2) |
Terms Expire |
|
Betty Fussell |
|
June 30, 2010 |
|
Parks and Recreation Commission |
Vacancy (1) |
Term Expires |
|
Andrew Gonzales (6/2/06 withdrew from consideration)
Robert Harms
Tappan Merrick
Patrick Walz
Roland Wanigatunga |
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
Personnel Board (Employee-nominated seats) |
Vacancy (2) |
Terms Expire |
|
None |
|
June 30, 2010
June 30, 2008 |
|
Planning Commission |
Vacancy (3) |
Terms Expire |
|
Thomas Flaherty
Darab Ghaffary
Andrew Gonzales
Jeremy Hubble
Larry Klein (Incumbent)
David Lee
Patrick Meyering
Harriet Rowe (not available on interview dates)
Nancy Smith
Patrick Walz |
|
June 30, 2010
(2 terms)
June 30, 2007
(1 term) |
The following Boards and Commissions did not receive enough applications to fill all of the current vacancies: Board of Building Code Appeals, Board of Library Trustees, Heritage Preservation Commission and the Personnel Board. As outlined in the City Charter, the Personnel Board is comprised of five members with three members directly appointed by Council and two members nominated by City employees in Classified Service. The two current vacancies are for Employee-Nominated Members; however, no nominations or applications were received.
Based on the remaining current vacancies, quorum issues do not exist with these Boards and Commissions. Council can either request staff to conduct a “limited recruitment” to fill these vacancies, or include them in the 2006 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.
Appointment Process
Council Policy 7.2.11 outlines the appointment process as follows:
“Placed as an agenda item at a City Council meeting, the Mayor will first announce the Board/Commission vacancy and its term, and 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.”
Following appointments, the staff liaison for each Board and Commission will provide an orientation and each new Board/Commission member is required to take the Oath of Office, sign the Model of Excellence, and attend the Boards and Commissions Orientation. Mayor Ron Swegles recently issued a mayoral mandate requiring all Board and Commission members to attend an Ethics Training Workshop by January 1, 2007. The City Ethics Training Workshops are scheduled for June 27 and August 15, 2006.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this report.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Sunnyvale Library and the Office of the City Clerk.
In addition, the public was notified of the recruitment for Board and Commission applicants as noted in the Background Section of this report.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council confirms appointments from the candidates listed in this report, specifying the terms for each candidate for the Board/Commission that has multiple seats and terms.
2. Council directs staff to include the remaining vacancies in the 2006 Fall Recruitment.
3. Council does not make appointments at this time and directs staff to include the current vacancies in the 2006 Fall Recruitment.
4. Council directs staff to conduct a limited recruitment, as described in this report, to fill the remaining vacancies.
RECOMMENDATION
Alternative No. 1 will fill the majority of the existing vacancies and represents the culmination of the 2006 Spring Board and Commission Recruitment. Action taken as outlined in Alternative No. 2 will address the remaining vacancies by efficiently using available resources. Both Alternatives Nos. 1 and 2 are consistent with the 2006 Boards and Commissions Recruitment Plan that was approved by Council on January 24, 2006.
Staff recommends Alternatives Nos. 1 and 2.
Reviewed by:
Robert Walker, Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Janice Clark, Deputy City Clerk
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager