MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA
SPECIAL MEETING
Monday, January 10, 2022
APPROVED: These Minutes were approved on February 7, 2022.
SPECIAL MEETING 5:00 P.M.:
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Medrano called the Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of La Habra to order at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, located at 100 East La Habra Boulevard, La Habra, California.
INVOCATION: City Attorney Jones
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember Simonian
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Medrano
Councilmember Espinoza
Councilmember Simonian
COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: Mayor Pro Tem Gomez (excused absence) OTHER OFFICIALS PRESENT: City Manager Sadro
City Attorney Jones
City Clerk Swindell
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
City Clerk Swindell read the email public comment received from La Habra resident Peter Cruz in support of fill ing the City Council vacancy by appointment of Planning Commissioner Michelle Bernier if she becomes part of the appointment process.
CONSIDERATION ITEMS:
1. CONSIDER OPTIONS TO FILL A VACANT CITY COUNCIL SEAT
City Clerk Swindell presented the staff report.
City Council discussion included: high costs of holding a special election; the potential for a large number of applicants; support for an application and an essay; and the ability for City Council to review and screen qualified applicants for interviews.
City Attorney Jones reviewed ways that City Council could process the applications received for the City Council position; instructions to give the City Clerk regarding the application contents and potential essay requirement; and questions to be asked at interviews to be held at a future City Council meeting date to be determined.
Mayor Medrano invited the public to testify at 5:07 p.m. There was no public testimony.
City Council
Monday, January 10, 2022
Moved by Councilmember Simonian seconded by Mayor Medrano and CARRIED ( 3-0) THAT
THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT STAFF TO ADVERTISE THE CITY COUNCIL VACANCY, TO INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA, ASKING FOR APPLICATIONS TO INCLUDE THE APPLICANT’S
PERSONAL INFORMATION AN ESSAY STATING THEIR EXPERIENCE, WHY AND WHAT
MAKES THEM BEST QUALIFIED, NOT TO EXCEED A PAGE- AND-A-HALF, AND ONCE
SUBMITTED CITY COUNCIL W OULD REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND DECIDE HOW
MANY APPLICANTS WOULD PROCEED TO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH A TERM TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS FROM JANUARY 11, 2022 THROUGH JANUARY 20, 2022.
Said motion CARRIED by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Mayor Medrano, Councilmember Espinoza, Councilmember Simonian NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: Mayor Pro Tem Gomez
COMMENTS FROM STAFF: None
COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS:
Councilmember Espinoza expressed respect for former City Councilmember Shaw’s decision to resign. She stated that La Habra residents are grateful for the contributions he made to the City as an elected official. She wished him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Mayor Medrano concurred with Councilmember Espinoza’s comments about former City Councilmember Shaw. Mayor Medrano stated that the process to fill the City Council vacancy was taken seriously and with full transparency.
ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Medrano adjourned the meeting at 5:19 p.m. to Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Closed Session Room 112c, 100 East La Habra Boulevard, followed by the Regular Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber due to the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday on Monday, January 17, 2022.
Respectfully submitted,
Laurie Swindell, CMC
City Clerk