1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 25, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Zizette Mullins, MMC, City Clerk
BY: Melissa Dekermenji, CMC, Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT: Appointment to Fill One Vacancy on the P lanning Board and Fill One Vacancy on the Transportation Commission for Unexpired Terms
RECOMMENDATION
Appoint One Member to the Planning Board to fill an unexpired term ending July 31, 2025 and Appoint One (1) Member to the Transportation Commission to fill an unexpired term ending July 31, 2025.
BACKGROUND
All Board, Commission, and Committee (BCC) Members shall be appointed by a three- fifths (3/5) vote of all Council Members and serve without compensation from the City. No person shall serve on more than one BCC at the same time. Vacancies on a BCC occurring during the term of office shall be filled within ninety (90) days from the date the vacancy occurs. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term. In addition, all applicants must be electors of, and actually reside in, the City of Burbank with the exception of three positions on the Burbank Cultural Arts and the Sustainable Burbank Commissions as established in Ordinance No. 16- 3,874 adopted 2/9/2016. (Per BMC Sections 2-1-404, 2-1-405, 2-1-406, and 2-1-407)
Once a vacancy is established, the City Clerk advertises the vacancy for 30 days, accepts applications, and provides applications received to the City Council for consideration.
The voting process established allows for each Council Member to vote as many times as there are vacancies on the BCC being considered; and the applicants receiving a majority of the votes in the first round are either appointed or move into the second round, if necessary. The process continues for as many rounds as are necessary to attain the correct number of applicants to fill the vacancy.
CITY CLERK’S
OFFICE
2 Planning Board
The Planning Board (originally Advisory City Planning Committee to the Board of Trustees) was established on January 30, 1923. On December 8, 1953, Council adopted Ordinance No. 1290, adding the Planning Board to the Burbank Municipal Code. The Planning Board is composed of five (5) members and shall have the Powers and Duties of the Board: The City Planning Board shall have and exercise all powers and duties granted to it by any provision or provisions of this code and shall also have and exercise any power and duties accruing to it by Section 215 of the Charter. “The City shall have the power to exercise any and all rights, powers and privileges previously or in the future established, granted or prescribed by the general laws of the state or by other lawful authority and shall have the power to act pursuant to procedure established by any law of the state unless a different procedure is required by this Charter or by ordinance.”
Transportation Commission
The Transportation Commission was established on January 6, 1942. On April 19, 1986, Ordinance No. 3025 established the Transportation Commission. The Transportation Commission consists of seven (7) members. The City Council shall give consideration to appointing persons affiliated with the following groups: small businesses, large businesses, transportation technology research and development organizations, homeowners, the Burbank -Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, transportation management organizations or associations, and other special needs groups such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities and bicyclists. The Transportation Commission shall have the following powers and duties: to make recommendations to the City Council on transportation planning issues including, but not limited to, the transportation element of the General Plan and its components; to make recommendations on the expenditure of Proposition A funds, Proposition C funds, air quality funds and bonds, fees, loans and grants for the purpose of funding transportation improvements; to make recommendations on transportation plans, policies and programs, including, but not limited to, pedestrian orientation, telecommuting, intermodal transportation centers and new technologies and to perform such advisory functions as are delegated to it by the provisions of this code or other action of the City Council.
DISCUSSION
At the August 9, 2022 City Council Meeting, the City Council voted to move this item to the September 13, 2022 City Council Meeting due to the absence of Vice-Mayor Anthony.
Subsequently, on September 13, 2022 the City Council voted 3-2 (Schultz and Anthony, Dissent) to direct the City Clerk to re-advertise the vacancy for an additional 30 days and bring back on the October 25, 2022 City Council Meeting. On September 14, 2022, the City Clerk’s Office re -advertised and accepted applications for one vacancy on the Planning Board for an unexpired term ending July 31, 2025 created by the resignation of Tammy Heiner, due to professional obligations.
On September 14, 2022, the City Clerk's Office began advertising and accepting applications for one vacancy on Transportation Commission for an unexpired term ending 3 July 31, 2025 created by the City Council appointment of Paul McKenna Jr. to the Police Commission.
To obtain qualified candidates, a Notice of Unscheduled Vacancy was advertised through the following:
• The City website
• City Council meeting announcements
• All social media platforms overseen by the City Clerk’s Office • Press release sent to The LA Times, Burbank Leader, and MyBurbank.com • Notices posted on the City Hall Bulletin Board
• Community Groups and Organizations
The deadline to submit applications to the City Clerk’s Office was Friday, October 14, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. The City Clerk’s Office received twelve (12) applications for the Planning Board : Sharla Fisher, Simon Hammel, Eddy Polon (second choice) , Janis Cohen-Milch, Derik Danialian, David Donahue, Narbe Khodadadian, Darin Chase, James Ingram (second choice), Christopher Toth, Samantha Wick, and Richard Schmidt . The City Clerk’s Office received seven (7) applications for the Transportation Commission:
Eddy Polon (first choice), Roya Falahati, James Ingram (first choice), Nathan Adair, Viken Kotoyan, Melinda Amato, and John "Brooks" Pipher. The applications are listed in order received and all applicants have met the City of Burbank COVID -19 Vaccination Policy requirement.
Please note that two (2) of the Applicants, Viken Kotoyan and Christopher Toth, have also applied for the Landlord- Tenant Commission. If appointed, one of their names will be removed from consideration for the Landlord-Tenant Commission appointment which is scheduled to be presented to the City Council at the Tuesday, November 15, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting.
In addition, please note the following Applicant, Samantha Wick, currently serves on the Heritage Commission. If appointed, her position will create a vacancy on the Heritage Commission.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
CONCLUSION
The City and the community both realize substantial benefits from civic involvement.
Appointments to the boards, commissions, and committees help to encourage public participation in the governmental process and ensure Burbank residents have a voice.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 – Applications and Resumes
Attachment 2 – Burbank Municipal Code Section 2-1-411
Attachment 3 – Burbank Municipal Code Section 2-1-419