City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
From: City Clerk
Meeting Date: February 26, 2024
Report #:2401-2572
TITLE
Discussion on the 2024 Boards and Commissions Recruitment. CEQA Status - Not a Project.
RECOMMENDATION
Discuss and provide direction for conducting interviews for scheduled vacancies on the Architectural Review Board, Historic Resources Board, Human Relations Commission, Public Art Commission, Planning and Transportation Commission, Stormwater Management Oversight Committee, and Utilities Advisory Commission.
BACKGROUND
In 2021 the City Council passed Ordinance 55291 and Resolution 99692 to establish term limits and consolidate the appointment of members to boards and commissions. In 2023 the City Clerk’s Office conducted the first consolidated recruitment for 16 scheduled vacancies on various Boards and Commissions and received a record 56 applications during that recruitment period.
The 2024 Boards and Commissions Recruitment is ongoing and will close on March 17th, 2024.
The City Council will select candidates to be interviewed for:
•Two (2) positions on the Architectural Review Board with terms ending 3/31/2027. •Four (4) positions on the Historic Resources Board with terms ending 3/31/2027. •Two (2) positions on the Human Relations Commission with terms ending 3/31/2027. •Four (4) positions on the Public Art Commission with two terms ending 3/31/2027 and two partial terms ending 3/31/2026.
•One (1) position on the Planning and Transportation Commission with term ending 3/31/2028.
1 Ordinance 5529: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/city-clerk/ordinances/ordinances-1909-to- present/2021/ord-5529.pdf
2 Resolution 9969: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/city-clerk/resolutions/resolutions-1909-to- present/2021/reso-9969.pdf
•Thee (3) positions on the Stormwater Management Oversight Committee with term ending 3/31/2028.
•Two (2) positions on the Utilities Advisory Commissions with term ending 3/31/2027.
During the last several recruitments prior to 2023, the City Council elected to interview all qualified applicants for respective Boards and Commissions. In 2023, the City Council allowed each Council Member a limited number of votes to select applicants to interview as listed below:
•Historic Resources Board – 3 openings, 3 applicants, Interview all •Human Relations Commission – 2 openings, 5 applicants, Interview all •Parks and Recreation Commission – 4 openings, 18 applicants, 6 votes each •Planning and Transportation Commission – 3 openings, 11 applicants, 5 votes each •Utilities Advisory Commission – 4 openings, 18 applicants, 6 votes each It is at the discretion of the City Council to determine how to proceed with the 2024 Boards and Commissions interviews.
Membership Requirements
Each Board or Commission has different requirements for appointment such as mandatory residency, specialized training, or professional service in a specified area. For each of the Board or Commission with current vacancies, the requirements are listed below. Additionally, appointed members cannot be council members, officers or employees of the City of Palo Alto.
Architectural Review Board
•At least three members shall be architects, landscape architects, building designers or other design professionals. (PAMC 2.21.010)
Historic Resources Board:
•Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of history, architecture or historic preservation. (PAMC 2.27.010)
•One member shall be an owner/occupant of a category 1 or 2 historic structure, or of a structure in a historic district. (PAMC 2.27.010)
•Three members shall be architects, landscape architects, building designers or other design professionals. (PAMC 2.27.010)
•At least one member shall possess academic education or practical experience in history or a related field. (PAMC 2.27.010)
Public Art Commission
•Each member of the Commission shall either be members of the Architectural Review Board or shall be professional visual artists, professional visual arts educators, professional visual arts scholars, or visual arts collectors whose authorities and skills are known and respected in the community and, whenever feasible, who have demonstrated an interest in, and have participated in, the arts program of the city. (PAMC 2.18.020)
Planning and Transportation Commission
•Palo Alto residency. (PAMC 2.20.010)
Stormwater Management Oversight Committee
•Each member shall be a resident of Palo Alto, an employee of a business located in Palo Alto, or an owner of a real property within the City. (Resolution 9969) Utilities Advisory Commission:
•Each member of the commission shall be a utility customer or the authorized representative of a utility customer. (PAMC 2.23.010)
•Palo Alto Residency for at least six members of the commission. (PAMC 2.23.010)
ANALYSIS
Suggested options to vet the candidates as well as effective use of Council’s time include, but are not limited to, the following:
•Allow Council Members a limited number of votes to select their preferred candidates to interview. The City Council can decide the threshold for candidates to be advanced to the interview stage.
•Allow all applicants to record their initial interview via the City’s HireVue platform or other video interview platform. Council Members can watch the interviews online and select which candidates to bring in for a final in-person interview or make appointments based on the recorded video interviews.
•Appoint an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct interviews with recommendations being made to the full Council for appointment. Interviews can be recorded and provided to the full Council prior to voting.
•Hold a series of special meetings over the next two months to interview all selected applicants prioritizing Boards that may have issues with obtaining a quorum for their next meetings.
The process Council decides to select must be done in compliance with the Brown Act. If HireVue or recorded interviews with an Ad Hoc is selected, interview recordings will be made available to the public.
The Boards and Commissions Handbook states that Chair and Vice Chair elections shall be conducted at the beginning of the year and the workplan shall be transmitted to City Council by the second quarter of the calendar year. City Council may, at your discretion, modify those deadlines to help facilitate Chair and Vice Chair elections allowing greater visibility on which incumbent Commissioners will be reappointed and to allow new Commissioners to participate in the crafting of the workplan for the year.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
The recommendations and actions taken in this report will not impact the City on a fiscal basis; however, they may impact available staff resources to implement the recommended actions.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The Clerk’s Office staff coordinated with the Human Resources Department to analyze the use of the HireVue system if selected as an option that will allow notification to residents/applicants about the recruitment process for the boards and commissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Not a project as defined by CEQA.
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
Staff: Vinh Nguyen, Assistant City Clerk