EAST PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
DATE: December 13, 2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Patrick Heisinger, Interim City Manager
BY: James Colin, City Clerk
SUBJECT: Selection of Mayor
Recommendation
Appoint the new Mayor for a one-year period.
Alignment with City Council Strategic Plan
This recommendation is primarily aligned with:
Priority No. 3: Increase Organizational Effectiveness and Efficiency Priority No. 5: Improve Communication and Enhance Community Engagement Background
On November 20, 2007, City Council approved Resolution No. 2738 establishing a policy for selection of the Mayor and Vice Mayor that states: “The Mayor and Vice Mayor of the City shall hold their respective offices for a term of one year… The Mayor shall be selected, by majority vote, from among all members of the City Council. Following the selection of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor shall be elected, by majority vote, from among any of the remaining four members of the City Council."
Nomination Process
Staff recommends the following nomination process and selection by majority vote, consistent with Resolution No. 2738: The Mayor shall ask the Council for nominations for the position of the new Mayor. Any of the other Councilors may nominate someone other than herself or himself (including the sitting Mayor) for the position. The Mayor shall ask each nominated Councilor if she or he is willing to serve before declaring that person nominated. If there are no nominations, the Mayor may make a nomination. When it appears that no further nominations will be made, the Mayor shall announce that the nominations are closed.
If only one Councilor has been nominated, the Mayor shall call for a vote on the nomination.
The nominated Councilor must receive three affirmative votes to be selected as Mayor.
If more than one Councilor has been nominated, the Mayor shall call for a vote of the first person nominated. If that candidate receives three or more votes, the Mayor shall declare that candidate selected as the new Mayor and the voting concludes. If not, the Mayor shall call for a vote for the second candidate in the same manner. The candidate receiving three or more votes shall be declared the Mayor. The process then repeats for the position of Vice Mayor among the remaining four members of the City Council.