HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 11257
CITY OF PALO ALTO OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
April 20, 2020
The Honorable City Council
Palo Alto, California
Update and Discussion Regarding the Spring 2020 Board and
Commission Recruitment for Positions on the Human Relations
Commission, Public Art Commission, and Utilities Advisory
Commission
Recommendation
Staff is requesting direction from the City Council on how to proceed with the Spring
2020 Board and Commission recruitments. Options for how to proceed have been provided by Staff for Council consideration. Human Relations Commission • Option 1: Continue to pause the recruitment for this Commission to a later date as determined by the City Council. Current members’ terms will roll over until replacements are appointed. • Option 2: Re-open the recruitment for a minimum of 15 days as required by the Municipal Code. Current members’ terms will roll over until replacements are appointed by the City Council. Note: The City has only received 1 application to fill 3 expiring positions on this Commission. Public Art Commission • Option 1: Continue to pause the recruitment for this Commission to a later date as determined by the City Council. Current members’ terms will roll over
until replacements are appointed. • Option 2: Re-open recruitment for a minimum of 15 days as required by the Municipal Code. Current members’ terms will roll over until replacements are appointed by the City Council. • Option 3: Proceed with scheduling interviews with current applicants with a goal of appointments by May 31, 2020. Note: The City has received 4 applications to fill 4 expiring positions on this Commission. One incumbent has re-applied.
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Utilities Advisory Commission • Option 1: Proceed with scheduling interviews with current applicants with a goal of appointments by May 31, 2020. • Option 2: Re-appoint the two incumbents who have applied to fill the two expiring positions. This would be an alternative to the interview process. • Option 3: Re-open recruitment for a minimum of 15 days as required by the Municipal Code. Current members’ terms will roll over until replacements are made by the City Council. Note: The City has received 4 applications to fill 2 expiring positions on this Commission. Two incumbents have re-applied. Background and Discussion The Spring 2020 Board and Commission recruitment for positions on the Human Relations Commission, Library Advisory Commission, Public Art Commission, and Utilities Advisory Commission began on February 11, 2020 with an initial application deadline of March 31, 2020 at 4:30 P.M. At the February 24, 2020 City Council meeting, City Council directed Staff to disband the Library Advisory Commission. The recruitment for positions on the Library Advisory Commission was closed on February 25, 2020. No applications were received, and no action is required for this Commission at this time. The City proceeded with recruitment for the following positions: • Three positions on the Human Relations Commission, with two positions with
terms ending May 31, 2023, and one position filling a vacancy with an unexpired term ending May 31, 2021 • Four positions on the Public Art Commission, with terms ending on May 31, 2023 • Two positions on the Utilities Advisory Commission, with terms ending May 31, 2023 Due to the COVID-19 health emergency and shelter-in-place order, Staff made the decision on March 23, 2020 to temporarily pause the recruitment for the Human Relations Commission and the Public Art Commission. Since the Utilities Advisory Commission has a higher level of decision-making authority, the recruitment for those positions was left open with an extended application deadline of April 7, 2020 at 4:30 P.M. Terms for all open positions on these Boards and Commissions expire May 31, 2020. It is important to note members with terms ending May 31 will automatically roll over until a replacement is appointed by the City Council.
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Here is a summary of applications received to date: Human Relations Commission (3 positions) 1. David Morales
Public Art Commission (4 positions) 1. Djibril Drame 2. Shannon Rose McEntee 3. Katherine Talbot 4. Nia Taylor (Incumbent) Utilities Advisory Commission (2 positions) 1. Claude Ezran 2. Lisa Forssell (Incumbent) 3. Phil Metz 4. Lauren Segal (Incumbent)
Staff believes the recruitments for the Human Relations Commission and Public Art
Commission should be reopened with a new 15-day recruitment period. However, we
are looking for further direction from the City Council on how to proceed with the
Spring 2020 Board and Commission recruitments.
Department Head: Beth Minor, City Clerk
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