January 27, 2026
Agenda Item No. 16
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Lena Shumway, City Clerk - 949-644-3005, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Lena Shumway, City Clerk
TITLE:
Appointment to Fill Two Unscheduled Vacancies on the Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee ABSTRACT:
Peter Belden resigned from the Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee (Committee) on November 28, 2025, prior to the expiration of his term on June 30, 2029. George Robertson also resigned from the Committee on November 28, 2025, prior to the expiration of his term on June 30, 2027. These resignations created two unscheduled vacancies on the Committee.
The City Clerk’s Office received nine applications to fill the vacancies. In accordance with City Council Policy A-2 (Boards, Commissions and Committees), City Charter Sections 702 and 705, and the Maddy Act, Mayor Lauren Kleiman is recommending candidates for nomination to fill the unscheduled vacancies. The City Council has the opportunity to appoint two individuals to serve on the Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee—one appointment for a term ending June 30, 2029, and one appointment for a term ending June 30, 2027.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; and Appoint two of the following nominated applicants Eros Bilyen, Andy Boyum, Timothy Burnham and Daniel Gorczyca to fill two unscheduled vacancies on the Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee with one term ending June 30, 2029, and another one for a term ending June 30, 2027.
DISCUSSION:
The resignations of Peter Belden and George Robertson created two unscheduled vacancies on the Water Quality / Coastal Tidelands Committee.
In accordance with City Charter Sections 702 and 705, City Council Policy A-2 (Boards, Commissions and Committees), and the Maddy Act, the City Clerk’s Office initiated the recruitment process to fill the vacancies. A Notice of Unscheduled Vacancies was posted on December 1, 2025, in the City Clerk’s Office, at the Central Library, and on the City Hall bulletin board. The notice was also posted on the City’s website and published in the Daily Pilot on December 4, 2025.
The application period closed on December 18, 2025, and nine applications were received.
Pursuant to City Council Policy A-2, Mayor Kleiman and Councilmember Michelle Barto reviewed all applications and the following applicants were nominated at the January 13, 2026, City Council meeting for the Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee:
Bilyen Eros
Andy Boyum
Timothy Burnham
Daniel Gorczyca
The Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council on matters related to protecting and improving water quality and habitat in Newport Bay and the ocean. The Committee advises and makes recommendations on policies, programs and projects that support and strengthen existing regulations, improve water quality and habitat, and educate the watershed population on the value of Newport Bay and the ocean. The Committee also advises the City Council on the implementation of the Tidelands Infrastructure Capital Plan, including sea level rise impacts on ocean beaches, ocean beach sand replenishment, and other capital projects affecting the ocean beaches and tidelands not assigned to other committees, and on any other matter referred by the City Council or city manager.
Copies of the nominated applicants’ applications are included as Attachment A.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A – Water Quality/Coastal tidelands Committee Applications Appointment to Fill Two Unscheduled Vacancies on the Water Quality/Coastal Tidelands Committee January 27, 2026
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