Item No. {{item.number}}
Town of Atherton
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT – REGULAR AGENDA
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
GEORGE RODERICKS, CITY MANAGER
FROM: ANTHONY SUBER, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER/ CITY CLERK
DATE: OCTOBER 1, 2025
SUBJECT: INTERVIEW CITY COUNCIL VACANCY APPLICANTS; AND, IF
APPROPRIATE APPOINT A CANDIDATE TO FILL THE
VACANT SEAT FOR A TERM EXPIRING NOVEMBER 2026
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Council:
• Conduct interviews of applicants and consider appointment to the current City Council vacancy, with a term expiring November 2026, in accordance with Atherton Municipal Code Section 2.32.030;
• Adopt the attached Resolution appointing a candidate to serve in the seat until a special election on November 3, 2026;
• Determine whether to administer the Oath of Office immediately following the appointment at the October 1, 2025, Study Session or schedule a formal swearing-in at the October 15, 2025 meeting.
BACKGROUND | ANALYSIS
Council Member Diana Hawkins-Manuelian submitted a letter of resignation from Council effective September 1, 2025. Council Member Hawkins-Manuelian was appointed to serve a fouryear term in August 2024 by Resolution No. 24-15. Her term expires in November 2028. At the September 3 Study Session Council expressed its intent to conduct a process for soliciting candidates for appointment to select a replacement Councilmember at either the October 1 Study Session or October 15 Regular Meeting to serve until the November 2026 General Municipal election. Notices were distributed across the Town’s various platforms, including the Town website, published in the Almanac and Daily Post print and online versions. Staff released these notices with a deadline of Friday, September 26, 2025, 11:000 AM for submission. We received the following candidates, application materials are included as attachment 4:
• Flaherty, Carol
• Riviello, Regina
City Council Vacancy Appointment
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• Lane, Eric
• David, Christine
• Leugers, Jerome
• Dixon, Betsy
• Sikes, Lindsey
Each applicant will be offered an opportunity to speak to their interest in serving the Town of Atherton as a Council Member and Council may choose to ask questions. Staff recommends following the order of the candidates’ names as they appear above, which mirrors the order in which applications were received. Among other criteria, the Council can choose to consider using the following criteria as a basis for their evaluation.
Key Criteria for Evaluations
• Experience in Town affairs; engagement in Town committees or activities • Knowledge of issues that the Town is facing (finances, pensions, housing, transportation, etc.) • Overall approach to decision-making
• Awareness of Town goals and objectives
• Awareness of the role of policy makers
• Knowledge of the Brown Act
The Council can independently rank the candidates based on what they perceive as the most important criteria or strength of the candidates and then follow one of the following processes for appointment provided below.
Option No. 1: Open Nomination Process
The Mayor can open nominations for any candidate from the floor after interviews. If a nomination receives a second, then a roll call vote will be taken by the City Clerk. If that candidate is successful and wins a majority, voting ceases and the Council has made its selection. If that candidate fails to get a second or does not win a majority, that candidate is removed from the list and the floor is open again for nominations. The Council continues this process until a candidate successfully wins a majority vote of the Council and is appointed by selection.
Option No. 2: Narrow the Field Process
With 7 candidates, the Council can choose to narrow the field. For example, we have 7 candidates; each member of the Council provides the City Clerk with their top 6 candidates. The candidate with the least number of votes is removed from the list. Then, each member of the Council provides the City Clerk with their top 5 candidates. The candidate with the least number of votes is removed from the list. Then, each member of the Council provides the City Clerk with their top 4 candidates.
The candidate with the least number of votes is removed from the list. Then, each member of the Council provides the City Clerk with their top 3 candidates. The candidate with the least number of votes is removed from the list. Then, each member of the Council provides the City Clerk with their top 2 candidates. The candidate with the least number of votes is removed from the list. At 2 City Council Vacancy Appointment
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candidates, the Council opens the floor for nominations. The candidate that obtains a second and wins a majority vote of the Council is appointed as the selection of the Council.
If No Candidate is Selected
If, after either process, the Council is unable to come to consensus for a majority candidate, the Council can extend the filing period and seek additional candidates, nominate, and appoint any interested individual (whether they are an applicant or not), or direct staff to process what is necessary to call the Special Election to fill the seat.
If the Council would like more time to consider any of the current applicants, the Council could also continue the selection process to a date certain, such as the October 15, 2025, Regular City Council meeting. The deadline to appoint a candidate or call a special election to fill the vacancy (Gov. Code § 36512(b)(1).) is October 29, 2025.
Following appointment, the Council may choose one of the following:
• Immediately swear-in newly appointed candidate. Staff will administer the Oath of Office at the October 1 meeting, allowing the appointee to participate immediately. • Ceremonial Swearing-In of newly appointed Council Member. The Council may opt to hold a formal searing-in at the October 15, 2025, meeting to allow family and friends to attend.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the appointment. The General Municipal Election is estimated to cost between $23,000 and $28,000, which will be included in the FY26-27 budget.
GOAL ALIGNMENT
This Report and its contents are in alignment with the following Council Policy Goals:
• Goal D - Be Forward Thinking
• Goal F - Build Community & Promote Civic Engagement
POLICY FOCUS
The recommendations in this report are consistent with Atherton Municipal Code Section
2.32.030.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notification was achieved by posting the agenda, with this agenda item being listed, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in print and electronically. Information about the project is also City Council Vacancy Appointment
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disseminated via the Town’s electronic News Flash and Atherton Online. There are approximately 1,200 subscribers to the Town’s electronic News Flash publications. Subscribers include residents as well as stakeholders –to include, but be not limited to, media outlets, school districts, Menlo Park Fire Protection District, service provides (water, power, and sewer), and regional elected officials.
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE FEEDBACK/REFERRAL
This item has not been before a Town Committee or Commission
ATTACHMENTS
1. Oath of Office
2. Resolution to Appoint 25-XX
3. DRAFT Resolution Call for Election 26-XX
4. Candidate Applications