1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: December 13, 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 a Vacancy on the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Board of Trustees and a Vacancy on the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors
RECOMMENDATION
Appoint one Member to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Board of Trustees to fill a full four-year term ending January 4, 2027 and Appoint one Member to the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors to fill a full four -year term ending January 1, 2027.
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 act ually 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, CITY CLERK’S
OFFICE
2 if necessary. The process continues for as many rounds as are necessary to attain the correct number of applicants to fill the vacancy.
Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Board of Trustees As a member City of the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Board of Trustees (Board), the City of Burbank appoints one Trustee to serve a four-year term on the Board. One Trustee is appointed by each of the 35 cities and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appoints one trustee to represent unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. To be appointed, the member must reside in and be a resident voter of the representative city (or county for county member) in the District. It is the intent of the Legislature that persons appointed to Board of Trustees have experience, training, and education in fields that will assist in the governance of the districts. Board member duties and responsibilities include setting policy, establishing the budget, approving expenditures, and retaining legal counsel. The District provides vector (insect) control services throughout its service area which includes 35 cities and certain portions of the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County. The Board meets monthly at 7:00 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Meetings are held at the District’s Santa Fe Springs headquarters. Trustees receive $100 for each meeting attended.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Water District) is governed by a 38- member Board of Directors, representing each of the Water District's 26 member agencies.
Each member agency is represented by one or more directors based on the assessed property valuation of its jurisdiction. The Water District Board is responsible for establishing and administering Water District’s policies and upholding the articles in the Metropolitan Water District Act.
The Water District Board of Directors typically meet on the second Tuesday of each month, with committee meetings occurring on the Monday preceding the Board meeting and the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. The Water District Board Members are eligible to receive $200 from Burbank Water and Power for monthly meetings.
DISCUSSION
On November 1, 20 22, the City Clerk's Office began advertising and accepting applications for the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Board of Trustees and the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors vacancies for a four-year term. The two scheduled vac ancies both serve as the City of Burbank representatives on their respective Boards. The first being for the Vector District Board Member Dr. Jeff Wassem whose term is set to expire on January 2 , 2023. The second being for the Water District Board Member Marsha Ramos whose term is set to expire on January 1, 2023.
3 To obtain qualified candidates, a Notice of 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 Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. two (2) applications for the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District Board of Trustees: Dr. Jeff Wassem and Dayana Amaya (first choice).
The City Clerk’s Office received three (3) applications for the Metropolitan Water District Board of Directors: Dayana Amaya ( second choice), Marsha Ramos , and Philippe Eskandar.
The applications are listed in order received and all applicants have met the City of Burbank COVID-19 Vaccination Policy requirement.
Please note the following Applicant, Philippe Eskandar, currently serves on the Burbank Water and Power Board. If appointed, his position will create a vacancy on the Burbank Water and Power Board.
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