BACKGROUND:
Over the years staff has faced challenges identifying members of the community to serve on some of the Commissions/Committees. No matter what outreach we utilize there are some Commissions for which we don’t receive enough interested applicants.
During a special study session meeting on June 1, 2022, staff discussed with Council different options for the appointment process and the possibility of paying stipends for some or all Commission meetings. After discussion, Council provided direction that they are not interested in stipends for any Commission. The did indicate, however, an interest in further discussion on how a process might work that would have individual Councilmembers nominate candidates for vacancies subject to ratification and formal appointment by the full Council.
DISCUSSION:
Discussion on Future Council Appointments to Commissions/Committees:
For discussion purposes and to demonstrate how a Council nomination process might work staff developed the table below which identifies all the Commission slots and assigns the existing members to a Councilmember just to get the process started. They were assigned first based on the district in which they reside. In situations where there are multiple Commissioners in some districts and none in others, they were randomly reassigned to fill all the slots.
Councilmember
Commission
Gutierrez Lamb Carnevale Ross Gregory
Planning Lee
2025
District 4
Thompson-
Cantua
2024
District 1
Daley
2023
District 1
Vacant
2023
Loe
2024
District 5
Architectural
Review
Rivera
2023
District 4
Hoss
2025
District 1
Burchard
2023
District 3
Keefer
2025
District 1
Vacant
2023
Public Arts Hopings
2023
District 4
Mojica
2025
District 1
Herrera
2024
District 3
Scott
2024
District 3
Liebelt
2023
District 1
Parks and
Community
Events
Vericker
2023
District 4
Martinez
2025
District 1
Yarborough
2023
District 5
Hyland
2024
District 2
Puentes
2024
District 5
Historic
Preservation
Rivera
2025
District 4
Steinman
2023
District 1
Hunter-
Copper
2024
District 3
Corrales
2023
District 2
Vacant
2025
Finance
Advisory
Gregorian
2023
District 1
Gminder-
Kalowes
2023
District 1
Crandall
2023
District 3
Lanz
2023
District 1
Fernandez
2024
District 5
Mobile Home
Fair Practices
Saldivar
District 4
Hoss
District 1
Evans
District 3
Vacant Fernandez
District 5
Using the above table as a model for discussion purposes, whenever a vacancy occurs the Councilmember responsible for that slot would make a nomination, which would then be forwarded to the full Council for ratification and formal appointment. When there is a vacancy staff can prepare a notice for the City website and social media and the Councilmember can also post it on their social media. The notice could read something like this:
Cathedral City currently has a vacancy on the Historic Preservation Committee with a term expiring on June 20, 2023. Councilmember Raymond Gregory is seeking candidates interested in being nominated for the position. If interested, please go to www.cathedralcity.gov for an application. Completed applications must be submitted to the City Clerk [email protected] by September 15, 2022.
Staff can then arrange for interested candidates to meet with the nominating Councilmember either in a formal interview session or over coffee or however the Councilmember wants to do it. Upon the Councilmember making the nomination staff will prepare the necessary agenda item to place it on the agenda for formal appointment by the full Council. This process can work if there is a single mid-year vacancy or at the end of the fiscal year when there may be multiple vacancies.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City with this item.