Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 5.G
Meeting Date: June 10, 2026
From: Christina Burton, City Clerk
Title: Ratify Nominations by Councilmembers for Commission/Committee Seats and Appoint Individuals to Serve a Three-year Term to Expire June 30, 2029.
RECOMMENDATION:
To ratify the following nominations and appoint each individual to serve a three-year term continuing through June 30, 2029:
Planning Commission:
Nomination by Councilmember Nancy Ross to appoint Todd Hooks Nomination by Councilmember Christina Gordon to appoint Colby Gregory Architectural Review Committee:
Nomination by Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez to appoint Sunshine Herrera Nomination by Councilmember Christina Gordon to reappoint Stephen Burchard Historic Preservation Committee:
Nomination by Councilmember Rita Lamb to appoint Craig Bugbee Parks and Community Events Commission:
Nomination by Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez to reappoint Mario Jimenez Nomination by Councilmember Christina Gordon to appoint Erik Castillo Public Arts Commission:
Nomination by Mayor Raymond Gregory to reappoint Craig Liebelt Nomination by Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez to appoint Diane Anderson-Minshall
BACKGROUND:
The terms of appointment and term limits for City Commissions and Committees are established by the Cathedral City Municipal Code. Unless otherwise specified by law, ordinance, resolution, or other applicable authority, members of City Commissions and Committees serve three-year terms.
Pursuant to Resolution No. 2022-47, the following Commissions and Committees have member terms scheduled to expire on June 30, 2026. The list also identifies the respective nominating Councilmember for each seat:
Commission/Committee Seats Expiring Appointing Councilmember 1 Councilmember Nancy RossPlanning Commission
1 Councilmember Christina Gordon
1- Architect Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez
1 Councilmember Christina Gordon
Architectural Review
Committee
1- Landscape Architect Mayor Raymond Gregory
1 Councilmember Rita LambHistoric Preservation
1 Councilmember Nancy Ross
1 Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto GutierrezParks and Community
Events Commission 1 Councilmember Christina Gordon
1 Mayor Raymond GregoryPublic Arts Commission
1 Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez
The members of the Finance Advisory Committee and Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission do not fall under Resolution 2022-47. Interviews and potential appointments for the Finance Advisory Committee will be agendized for a future date after sufficient applications have been received. There are currently no vacancies on the Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission.
DISCUSSION:
The City Clerk’s Office conducted its annual recruitment process for upcoming Commission and Committee vacancies associated with terms expiring on June 30, 2026. Notice of the recruitment was posted at City Hall, the Cathedral City Library, and the Cathedral City Senior Center. Recruitment information was also posted on the City’s social media platforms and published on the City’s website.
Applications were accepted from April 1, 2026, through May 6, 2026. All eligible applications received during the recruitment period were forwarded to the respective nominating Councilmembers for review and consideration.
The following applicant information is provided for the City Council’s consideration in connection with the ratification of the recommended nominations:
Commission/Committee Applications Received Name of Applicants Planning Commission 7 Colby Gregory
John Rivera
Kimberly Davis
Luis Rubalcava
Rich Malacoff
Sunshine Herrera
Todd Hooks
Architectural Review
Committee
3 Luis Sosa
Stephen Burchard
Sunshine Herrera
Historic Preservation
Committee
2 Colby Gregory
Craig Bugbee
Parks and Community
Events Commission
5 Denise Rodriguez Bowman
Erik Castillo
Mario Jimenez
Montey Dunn
Sunshine Herrera
Public Arts Commission 3 Craig Liebelt
Diane Anderson-Minshall
Montey Dunn
Pursuant to section 2.30.010(B) of the Cathedral City Municipal Code, it is the preference of the City Council that the membership of the Architectural Review Committee include one local licensed architect and one local licensed landscape architect. The applicant pool did not produce either a licensed architect or licensed landscape architect, and per section
2.30.010(B) the City Council may also consider various factors in appointing any member of the Architectural Review Committee, including, without limitation, licenses, certificates or degrees, other education, training or work experience in the fields of architecture, landscape design, other design, civil engineering, construction, surveying, or similar fields determined to be relevant by the City Council.
Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez has nominated Sunshine Herrera to fill the Architectural Review Committee seat designated for a local licensed architect. While Ms. Herrera is not a licensed architect, the nomination is based on her experience in governance, land use planning, regulatory review, and her service with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Indian Planning Commission.
Staff will continue recruitment efforts for the Architectural Review Committee to fill the licensed landscape architect position. Recruitment for this vacancy will remain open until a qualified applicant is identified.
The Historic Preservation Committee received two applications, including one from Colby Gregory, who also applied for a position on the Planning Commission. As Mr. Gregory has been nominated to serve on the Planning Commission, his application for the Historic Preservation Committee will no longer be considered. Consequently, recruitment for the Historic Preservation Committee has been reopened to fill the resulting vacancy.
Pursuant to Resolution 2022-47, staff recommend that the City Council ratify the following nominations and appoint each individual to serve a three-year term expiring on June 30, 2029:
Planning Commission:
Nomination by Councilmember Nancy Ross to appoint Todd Hooks Nomination by Councilmember Christina Gordon to appoint Colby Gregory Architectural Review Committee:
Nomination by Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez to appoint Sunshine Herrera Nomination by Councilmember Christina Gordon to reappoint Stephen Burchard Historic Preservation Committee:
Nomination by Councilmember Rita Lamb to appoint Craig Bugbee Parks and Community Events Commission:
Nomination by Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez to reappoint Mario Jimenez Nomination by Councilmember Christina Gordon to appoint Erik Castillo Public Arts Commission:
Nomination by Mayor Raymond Gregory to reappoint Craig Liebelt Nomination by Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Gutierrez to appoint Diane Anderson-Minshall FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with this item.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
N/A
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Colby Gregory- PC Application
2. John Rivera- PC Application
3. Kimberly Davis- PC Application
4. Luis Rubalcava- PC Application
5. Rich Malacoff- PC Application
6. Sunshine Herrera- PC Application
7. Todd Hooks- PC Application
8. Luis Sosa- ARC Application
9. Stephen Burchard- ARC Application
10.Sunshine Herrera- ARC Application
11.Colby Gregory- HPC Application
12.Craig Bugbee- HPC Application
13.Denise Rodriguez Bowman- PACE Application
14.Erik Castillo- PACE Application
15.Mario Jimenez- PACE Application
16.Montey Dunn- PACE Application
17.Sunshine Herrera- PACE Application
18.Craig Liebelt- PAC Application
19.Diane Anderson-Minshall- PAC Application
20.Montey Dunn- PAC Application