City Council
MEETING DATE: 7/11/2018
TITLE:
Title
Commissions and Committees Interviews
End
FROM:
Tracey R. Martinez, CMC
Deputy City Clerk
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council interview applicants and discuss possible appointments to the Planning Commission, Parks and Community Events Commission and Finance Advisory Committee.
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BACKGROUND:
The terms of appointments and term limits for Commissions and Committees have been established in the Cathedral City Municipal Code. There are no term limits established for committees by the municipal code. All members of the Commissions shall be appointed for a three year term unless otherwise provided by law, Ordinance, Resolution or if not applicable. The Finance Advisory Committee has no term limits. When an unexpected vacancy occurs on a Commission an appointment may be made to fulfill the remainder of the term. Most, if not all, terms will expire on June 30th of their respective year. Except in cases where the Mayor or City Council are not the appointing authority, no person shall be appointed to and serve substantially more than two full consecutive terms upon any single board or commission, and any person who has served substantially two full consecutive terms shall not be reappointed to the same commission until at least the time equal to one full term has elapsed. However, the City Council may, at any time, if in the best interest of the City, upon the affirmative votes of any four members of the City Council, waive the term limit provisions and reappoint any member of a commission of the City for one additional term.
Staff actively solicited applicants to fill the anticipated vacancies for June 2018. Efforts included publishing a notice in the Desert Sun, posting the notice at the Senior Center, Library and City Hall, posting the notice on the City’s website and social media. All current commissioners and committee members whose term was expiring in June 2018, with the exception of those who are termed out, were sent an email letting them know that their terms would be expiring and inquiring whether they would be interested in reappointment. Applications were received through June 4, 2018.
Interviews were conducted at the June 13, 2018 City Council Meeting. Appointments were made on June 13, 2018 to the Public Arts Commission and the Palm Springs Airport Commission. There were a few individuals that applied that had an unexpected conflict and were unable to interview so the City Council decided to postpone the appointments to the Planning Commission and the Parks and Community Events Commission until July 11, 2018, and directed staff to solicit further applicants. Staff once again published a notice in the Desert Sun, posted a notice at the Senior Center, Library and City Hall as well at the City’s website and social media.
DISCUSSION:
The following are the Commissions that have terms that expired as of June 30, 2018 and a list of those who have submitted applications and letters of interest:
Finance Advisory Committee - 1 Seat
This Committee meets at least once each calendar year and all meetings shall be subject to the provisions of the Brown Act. There is one seat that expired on June 30, 2018. Staff did not receive any applications for this committee.
Parks and Community Events Commission - 2 Seats
The Parks and Community Events Commission meets on the 4th Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. There are two seats that expired on June 30, 2018. There were two individuals that applied for the Public Arts Commission that were not appointed who have expressed interest in serving on the Parks and Community Events Commission:
Cristal Mojica
James Spalding
Mr. Spalding interviewed on June 13, 2018. He will not be available to interview on July 11, 2018, but expressed interest in serving. Cristal Mojica had an unexpected work conflict and was unable to attend the interview on June 13, 2018 but will be available on July 11, 2018.
Planning Commission - 3 Seats
This Commission meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. There are three open seats as of June 30, 2018. Staff received four applications from the following individuals:
Stephen Burchard
Barry Jaquess
Sarah Rodriguez
Juan Carlos Vizaga
Stephen Burchard was out of town on June 13, 2018 and unable to attend the interviews. Sarah Rodriguez fell ill on the day of the interviews and was unable to participate in the interview process. The City Council interviewed Barry Jaquess and Juan Carlos Vizaga on June 13, 2018. After advertising, Staff received two additional applications from the following individuals:
Craig Loe
Ralph C. Thompson-Cantau
Stephen Burchard, Craig Loe, Sarah Rodriguez and Ralph C. Thompson-Cantau will all be available for the interview process on July 11, 2018.
It is staff’s recommendation that once the City Council has completed all of the interviews they discuss possible appointments to each Commission and Committee. Below is a list of seats and term expirations for Council to consider.
• Finance Advisory Committee - one seat with a term a term expiring on June 30, 2021.
• Parks and Community Events Commission - two seats with terms expiring on June 30, 2021.
• Planning Commission - three seats one with a term expiring on June 30, 2020 and two with terms expiring on June 30, 2021.
An item is on the Regular Meeting Agenda for Council to make appointments to the various commissions and committees.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City with this item.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Applications from all individuals interested in being appointed or reappointed to a Council appointed Board Commission or Committee.