SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING
777 B Street, Hayward, CA 94541
Conference Room 2A and Virtual Platform (Zoom)
https://hayward.zoom.us/j/87958007886?pwd=amVWWDFSUk5ja2JkRVdmNm1IRkRDQT09 Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
The Special City Council Work Session meeting was called to order by Mayor Salinas at 5:36 p.m. The City Council held a hybrid meeting in Conference Room 2A and virtually via Zoom.
Present: COUNCIL MEMBERS Andrews, Bonilla Jr., Roche, Syrop, Zermeño MAYOR Salinas
Absent: COUNCIL MEMBER Goldstein
Council Member Goldstein joined the meeting at approximately 5:40 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were none.
SPECIAL WORK SESSION
1. City Commissions and Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force: Review of Fourteen Reappointment Requests and Approval of Interview Proce ss for August 22, 2023 WS 23-032
Staff report submitted by City Clerk Lens dated August 15, 2023, was filed.
City Clerk Lens provided a synopsis of the staff report.
There being no public comments , Mayor Salin as opened and closed the pub lic comment period at 5:44 p.m. and a second time at 5:52 p.m.
Discussion ensued among members of the City Council and City staff regarding: concer n about attendance issues of members who were not meeting the 75% attendance policy; Personnel Commission members who missed one of two regular meetings but had attended special meetings and had demonstrated a high level of participation and engagement such as Commissioner Cor tez; the policy of inviting non -compliant members to interview with Council; staff confirmed that dismissed members due to attendance issues would create vacancies for the remainder of vacated terms; there was concern expressed about the KHCG TF membership size which was impacting reaching quorum of meetings and the ability to organize cleanup events ; it was noted the KHC G TF has c ommitted members attending cleanup events and the ir attendance might not be a re flection of their engagement su ch as the case of KHCG TF Member Patton; and the requests for remote participation at C ommunity Ser vices Commission meeting s would be discussed by the Council Ad Hoc C ommittee formed to review the Council Member Handbook in coordination with City staff.
2 | A u g u s t 1 5 , 2 02 3
Council Member Zermeño supported reducing the size of the KHCG TF to twenty members; and suggested that members with attendance or training deficiencies be interviewed by the Mayor and have an exit interview with the City Clerk rather than having to be interviewed by the entire Council.
Council Member Syrop offered adjusting the KHCG TF membership to ten voting members and twenty members serving on a volunteer basis in order to preserve a large workforce, and setting the quorum based on voting members; suggested conducting a recruitment for the KHCG TF twice a year to fill unexpected vacancies; and suggested that members not meeting attendance requirement s reapply and join the application pool to test their commitment.
Council Member G oldstein supported reducing the KHCG TF voting membership ; agreed with the approach of having members, who have challenges attending meetings and completing trainings, reapply to demonstrate commitment; and noted that having members go through an interview process with the Council would not be beneficial.
Council Member R oche concurred with the recommendation to have members with attendance issues reapply as this wo uld encourage them to do th e work a nd show up to meetings; agreed to reduce the KHCG TF membership size ; and supported setting a standard going forward that City commission and KHCG TF meetings were back to in- person meetings.
Council Membe r Bonilla Jr. agreed that the size of the KHCG TF was large and favored approaches of reducing it to create an impactful meeting body; noted the two requirements for commission/task for ce members was attendance and trainings and was interested i n understanding what prev ented them from meeting these requirements and what they planned to do differently if selected to remain ; and supported having non -compliant members submit an application to be interviewed by the Council.
Council Member Andrews urged the Council to con sider the number of applicants who are considered to serve on the KHCG TF; and stressed the importance of attend ing Planning Commission meetings due to the review of development projects some of which are recommended to Council.
Council Member Goldstein suggested a perfo rmance improvement plan for members wi th attendance and trainings de ficiencies; and suggested having members submit a statement/letter explaining what they would do to correct their deficiencies as a preferable option, and if the responses were not adequate, then the Council could consider dismissing them.
Mayor Salinas agreed that while it was understood that members may have complex lives/careers, the Planning C ommission was responsible for decisions on development projects and the Community Services Commission was responsible for funding de cisions; did not agree with reinterviewing members or having a performance improvement plan ; underscored there should be a different standard in place for the Planning C ommission as
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING
777 B Street, Hayward, CA 94541
Conference Room 2A and Virtual Platform (Zoom)
https://hayward.zoom.us/j/87958007886?pwd=amVWWDFSUk5ja2JkRVdmNm1IRkRDQT09 Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
its membership could lead to opportunities on the City Council; urged Council to take a firm stand on attendance requirements as these have bee n reoccurring issues for many years ; favored the KHCG TF hav ing a core membership of seven members and ten volunteer members; and noted the KHCG TF was a great opportunity for residents to get involved and demonstrate their commitment.
Council Member Andrews supported a mini mum of thirteen members for the KHCG TF; was amenable to having members submit reasons for poor attendance or non-compliance of training requirements to the City Clerk and having that communicated to the City Council in lieu of reinterviewing members; requested that future recruitments include reasons for instances when a former member reapplies for the same or different meeting body to gauge previous attendance issues.
Council Member Syrop agreed with Council Member Andrews’ recommendation to have the KHCG TF membership size reduced to thirteen, as she was the Council lia ison to the KHCG TF.
City Clerk Lens stated the ideas offered by the Council would be taken into consideration by the Council Ad Hoc Committee and City staff via Council Member Handbook amendments; and added that staff reports addressing items raised would return to Council for action in September 2023. It was also noted that non-compliant members would be i nvited to meet with Council on August 22, 2023.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Salinas adjourned the City Council meeting at 6:17 p.m.
APPROVED
__________________________________________________________ Mark Salinas
Mayor, City of Hayward
ATTEST:
__________________________________________________________ Miriam Lens
City Clerk, City of Hayward