CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Date: January 27, 2025
Subject
Interview applicants for commission vacancies and terms expiring on January 30, 2025
Recommended Actions
Conduct interviews and make appointments to the Arts and Culture Commission, Audit Committee, Bicycle Pedestrian Commission, Housing Commission, Library Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, Public Safety Commission, and Sustainability Commission.
Background
As part of the City Work Program item, Commission Governance Reform Package, Council directed staff to establish criteria/qualifications for future commissioners. On March 5, 2024, Council:
1. Adopted Ordinance No. 24‐2256 to regularize commissioner terms (Attachment A),
2. Approved updates to the 2024 Commissioners Handbook, and
3. Adopted Resolution No. 24‐022 Amending Resolution Governing Advisory Bodies.
Resolution No. 24‐022 (Attachment B) directed that the City Manager establish criteria for service on each commission or committee based on familiarity with the subject matter of the commission.
Staff began by researching commission criteria for other cities in Santa Clara County and evaluating their application process. Research showed that the membership criteria outlined in each commission’s Municipal Code was generally similar to what Cupertino commissions currently have outlined in the Cupertino Municipal Code. Most notably, staff noticed that cities like Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Saratoga had more robust applications that were unique to each commission, while in Cupertino, commissioners would use one application for all commissions.
Staff worked to develop updated applications that were unique to Cupertino’s commissions and added more thoughtful questions to help determine if an applicant was more qualified or knowledgeable about the commission they are applying for. Staff developed draft questions for each commission and reviewed them with each respective Department. Additionally, in September 2024, staff surveyed each commission to gather feedback on potential new questions to each application. Almost 90% of commissioners who responded agreed on the questions staff developed and others provided suggestions for additional questions for the application. 2 Establishing Criteria
After analyzing all research from other cities and commissioner/staff feedback, staff developed the final commission applications, which went live on the City website in November 2024. These applications were unique to each commission and included questions which help to identify whether or not an applicant has met the criteria outlined below:
Criteria Question
Relevant subject
background
Please list your relevant education, training, experience, certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
Experience in community
involvement
Please describe your involvement in community activities, volunteering, and civic organizations.
Strong interest in joining
commission
Why are you interested in serving on the XX Commission and what experience would you bring to the position?
Knowledgeable of recent
commission activity
Please describe a topic that recently came before the
Commission that is of particular interest to you and describe why you are interested in it.
Understanding of
commission goals
What specific goals would you like to see the Public Safety Commission achieve, and how would you help in the process?
Resolution No. 24‐022 (Attachment B), directs that the City Manager shall advise Council as to which applicants meet established criteria but shall present all candidates meeting Municipal Code requirements to the City Council for interviewing. As such, staff have reviewed applications within their respective departments with all personal details redacted to remove any possibility of recognition bias. Staff reviewed each response to the questions above and determined if an application had met the established criteria based on the information provided in the responses. These applications have a large red “MC” on the top right corner, which stands for “Met Criteria.” As specified in Resolution No. 24‐022, the Council retains full discretion to appoint the candidate of its choosing.
Additional Considerations
Four Commissions had additional questions in the application due to the additional preferences outlined in the Municipal Code. Applicant responses will allow Council to easily see when priority should
be given to applicants who fall into the categories outlined in the respective codes, included below:
Commission Municipal Code
Arts & Culture Membership will be drawn to represent the arts, citizens, and business community on an approximately equal basis.
CMC 2.80.010
Audit Committee In selecting an at large member, the City Council shall give priority to individuals who have substantial accounting, audit, or investment experience, preferably in connection with a governmental agency.
CMC 2.88.020
3 Housing
Commission
In selection of commissioners, the City Council may give priority to:
1. Applicants who represent the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) target areas as described in the cityʹs
Consolidated Plan.
2. Applicants who are familiar with the operation of affordable housing.
3. Applicants who represent non‐profit community organizations; and
4. Applicants who are knowledgeable about the housing needs of groups targeted for affordable housing development which include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Seniors,
b. Single parent families,
c. Homeless persons,
d. Families of low income,
e. Disabled persons,
f. Renters,
g. First time homebuyers.
CMC 2.86.020
Sustainability In selection of community members, the City Council may give priority to:
1. Applicants who represent the target sectors and partners as described in the Cupertino Climate Action Plan (hereinafter referred to in this Chapter as ʺCAPʺ).
2. Applicants who are familiar with climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, greenhouse gas emissions
inventories, resource and utility conservation, sustainability and behavior change.
3. Applicants who represent non‐profit community organizations and environmental interest groups.
CMC 2.94.010
Next Steps
Council will be interviewing 64 applicants for nine Commissions. The interview schedule, applications, and other materials are included as attachments C‐K. Once Council makes their final selection, these applicants will be sworn in as new City Commissioners.
The next annual recruitment cycle for terms for expiring on City Commissions will occur in
January 2027. The Council may wish to identify additional steps in the screening and interview process, for implementation prior to the next application and appointment process. For example, during the 2025 cycle process, Council will review all applications and interview all applicants. In the future, Council may consider modifying the resolution to further screen applications and narrow the number of applicants interviewed by Council. Councilmembers may provide 4 comments to staff at the end of the commission interviews on Tuesday, January 28. Any suggestions will be provided to the City Manager and reflected in an updated draft process for Council consideration. The City thanks all applicants who desire to volunteer and shape the future of Cupertino.
Sustainability Impact
None
Fiscal Impact
None
California Environmental Quality Act
Not applicable.
City Work Program (CWP) Item: No
CWP Item Description: N/A
Council Goal: N/A
Prepared by: Astrid Robles, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Tina Kapoor, Deputy City Manager
Approved for submission by: Pamela Wu, City Manager
Attachments:
A – Ordinance No. 24‐2256 to Regularize Commissioner Appointments and Revise Commissioner Qualifications
B ‐ Resolution No. 24‐022 Establishing Rules Governing Recruitment of Advisory Bodies C – Interview Schedule
D – Resolution No. 03‐203 Establishing a Policy Embracing the City’s Demographic Diversity
E – Duties Powers and Functions
F – Sample Interview Questions
G – Applications
H – Current Commission List
I – Attendance Report
J – Ethics Training Report
K – Form 700 Filer Report