1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: October 17, 2023
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners of the Housing Authority
FROM: Kimberley Clark, City Clerk
BY: Melissa Dekermenji, CMC, Records Manager
SUBJECT: Appointment to Fill One Vacancy on the Burbank Housing Corporation Board of Directors for a Full Two-Year Term
RECOMMENDATION
Appoint one member to the Burbank Housing Corporation Board of Directors to fill a full two-year term ending October 31, 2025.
BACKGROUND
All Board, Commission, and Committee (BCC) Members shall be appointed by a three- fifths (3/5) vote of all of the Council Members to 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 Section 2-1-404, 2-1-405, 2-1-406, 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; 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.
Burbank Housing Corporation
The Burbank Housing Corporation (Corporation) was established in 1997 to improve and CITY CLERK’S
OFFICE
2 preserve the affordable housing inventory in the City of Burbank and to provide community assistance and services within the Focus Neighborhoods in the City. The Corporation is a non- profit organization with a Board of Directors (Board) comprised of nine members. Two Board Members are appointed by the Housing Authority and must be electors of the City of Burbank. Five members are comprised of one representative each from the following agencies: Board of Realtors, Burbank Chamber of Commerce, Wesley Senior Homes, the Burbank Ministerial Association, and the Advisory Council on Disabilities. In addition, the Board has two representatives who are residents of an affordable housing development managed by the Burbank Housing Corporation.
Members of the Board of Directors receive no compensation.
DISCUSSION
On September 1, 20 23, the City Clerk's Office began advertising and accepting applications for the vacancy on the Burbank Housing Corporation Board of Directors for a two-year term. This vacancy is a scheduled vacancy for Board Member Ruth Martinez- Baenen, who serves as one of the two representatives from the City of Burbank and her term is set to expire on October 31, 2023.
In order to obtain qualified candidates, a Notice of a Scheduled 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
• The Burbank Channel during City Council Meetings
• Community Groups and Organizations
The deadline to submit applications to the City Clerk’s Office for the Burbank Housing Corporation Board of Directors was Monday, October 2 , 20 23, at 5:00 p.m. The City Clerk’s Office received t hree (3) applications: Kimberly Narsete, Ruth Martinez-Baenan (incumbent), and Josh Caston (First Choice). The application is listed in order received.
Please note that Josh Caston has also applied for the one vacancy on the Board of Library Trustees, and if appointed to the Corporation, their name will be removed from consideration for the appointment which is scheduled to be presented to the City Council at the October 24, 2023, City Council Regular Meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This activity has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and, as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
3 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 – Redevelopment Agency Resolution R-1878
Attachment 3 – Housing Authority Resolution H-209