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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Consideration of Modifications to Nomination Process for Boards and Commissions
1. Resolution Revising Recruitment, Nomination and Selection Process for Appointment of Individuals to Boards and Commissions
2. Motion Directing Staff on Nomination Process for Individuals to Boards and Commissions
3. Motion to Revise Nominating Panel of Civil Service Commission Vacancy
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for March 12, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Council adopted a resolution on March 21, 2023 revising the process for nominating individuals to the City’s boards and commissions. The resolution established a process for a rotation of nominating panels of two councilmembers to interview and nominate a candidate for each board or commission. Since the panel rotations occur as a vacancy arises across all boards and commissions, there are times when the same pairing of two councilmembers will be assigned as the nominating panel for a board or commission to which they have previously nominated an individual.
This happened recently with the assignment of two councilmembers to the nominating panel to fill a pending vacancy on the Civil Service Commission. The Council expressed concern about this and asked for consideration of a modification of the panel rotation system to prevent the same panel from having the opportunity to nominate more than one member to a board or commission. The Council also requested the opportunity to assign another panel for the pending Civil Service appointment while Council weighs its options, which the Council may do at this meeting. This Report presents an option to assign another panel to the pending vacancy to Civil Service Commission, or to revise the current nominating process to skip a panel when that same panel has nominated an individual currently serving on the particular board or commission. 2{{section.number}}a
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RECOMMENDATION
That the Council consider options for revising the nominating panel rotation process and consider the proposed resolution or provide further direction to staff.
ANALYSIS
The Council adopted Resolution No. 23-39 (Exhibit 1) on March 21, 2023 re-establishing the rotating nominating panel system for boards and commissions. The resolution provides for the rotating panel system as follows:
“A. SELECTION OF INTERVIEW PANEL
When there exists a vacancy on a board or commission or the term of a member of a board or commission is near expiration, a panel of two council members shall be selected, in accordance with the procedure herein, to act as an interview panel:
The selection of the panel will involve an alphabetic rotation of the council as follows: the first member shall be in a vertical column (Column One) which shall have the council members’ names listed alphabetically. The second member of the panel shall be in a vertical column (Column Two) with the first council member being the individual who is the second council member listed in Column One. The next three council members will follow in alphabetical order, with the first council member in Column One being last in Column Two. Column One shall always remain alphabetical, Column Two will rotate after all council members have an opportunity to serve on a panel. The rotation process will have the council members in Column Two moving up the column with the council member at the top rotating to the bottom. This process of “rotation” will thereafter be repeated after five (5) panels are selected. The two council members who match up horizontally on the columns will constitute the panel to interview candidates who have applied to serve on a board or commission. Each panel shall interview candidates, and make nomination selections, for a single position on a board or commission.”
The panel rotations occur as a vacancy arises across all boards and commissions; thus, there are times when the same pairing of two councilmembers may be assigned as the nominating panel for a board or commission to which they have previously nominated an individual.
Recently, two councilmembers who nominated a current member to the Civil Service Commission were assigned to the nominating panel to fill another vacancy on that commission. The Council requested consideration of a modification of the panel rotation system to prevent the same panel from having the opportunity to nominate more than one member to a board or commission. The Council also requested the opportunity to make appoint another panel for the pending Civil Service appointment while Council weighs its options, which the Council may do at this meeting.
A straightforward option to avoid repeat nominating panels for the same board or commission is to provide that if an assigned panel has already nominated an individual to a board or commission, then that nomination will be assigned to the next panel in the 3{{section.number}}a
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rotation and that panel which is being passed over will be assigned to the next board or commission in the rotation. Proposed language could be added to the resolution language as follows:
“Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the two council members to be assigned to a nominating panel under the rotation set forth herein have previously nominated an individual to a particular board or commission, and that individual was appointed and is serving on that particular board or commission at the time the two councilmembers are next in the rotation to make another nomination to that same board or commission, then the nomination shall be assigned to the nominating panel that is next up in the rotation established by this section. The two council members who were to originally have been assigned to that particular nomination shall be reassigned to the next nomination of a board or commission in the rotation.” The Council can provide alternative direction on addressing repeat nomination panels. If so, the Council may still choose to assign a different panel to the Civil Service Commission by directing the nomination be assigned to a new panel under the rotation.
Under Section 2(F) of Resolution No. 23-39, the Council is authorized to deviate from the procedures of the resolution.
A proposed resolution modifying the rotation panel procedure to avoid repeat nominations as outlined above is provided for Council direction. The Council can provide alternative direction and direct the current Civil Service nomination to a new panel.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Not applicable.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This action is exempt from CEQA as there is no reasonable possibility that revising the procedure for nominating board and commissioners can have a significant impact on the environment.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1. The Council can decide not to modify the nomination procedure for the boards and commissions.
2. The Council can choose an option not identified by staff. 4{{section.number}}a
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ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Michael J. Garcia, City Attorney
Prepared by:
Michael J. Garcia, City Attorney
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution No. 23-39