City Council
Staff Report
From: City Clerk
Report Type: SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: October 6, 2025
Report #:2508-5096
TITLE
Review Applications and Select Candidates to Interview for the Human Relations Commission (HRC), Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC), and Public Art Commission (PAC) Vacancies; CEQA Status: Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council select up to 8 candidates to interview for HRC, up to 8 candidates to interview for PRC, and up to 8 candidates to interview for PAC.
BACKGROUND
Per Council direction 1, recruitments for Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCC) are split into fall and spring cycles. HRC, PAC, and PRC are included in the fall cycle. At its May 5, 2025 meeting, the City Council approved a process to select which applicants to interview for BCC vacancies2. The number of interviewees varies based on the number of vacancies.
Councilmembers will vote on whom to interview, getting twice the number of votes as there are openings. The top vote getters are interviewed.
Interview all candidates if there are 6 or fewer applicants Interview up to 6 candidates when there are 1-2 openings Interview up to 8 candidates when there are 3 openings Interview up to 10 candidates when there are 4 openings Membership requirements for HRC, PRC, and PAC are listed below. Additionally, no commissioners can be Councilmembers, officers, or employees of the City. 1 May 13, 2024 City Council Action Minutes, Agenda Item #12:
https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=83921&repo=r-704298fc 2 City Council, May 5, 2025; Agenda Item #11, SR# 2504-4537 https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=170171&repo=r-704298fc&searchid=96ab4134-36ab-4d1c- ad78-fe4f32f2250e
Human Relations Commission – Palo Alto residency 3.
Parks and Recreation Commission – Palo Alto residency and demonstrated interest in parks, open space and recreation matters4.
Public Art Commission - shall be either members of the architectural review board or 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 city5.
ANALYSIS
The Fall 2025 Boards and Commissions recruitment opened on August 22, 2025, and closed on September 24, 2025. HRC, PAC, and PRC each have three full-term vacancies. A summary of the applications and interview selection process is included in the below table:
Board/Commission Number of
Vacancies
Number of
Applicants
Number of
Candidates to
Interview
Number of Votes
per
Councilmember
Human Relations
Commission
3 (Seat #s: 2,
3, 7)
12 (including 2
incumbents)
Up to 8 6
Parks and
Recreation
Commission
3 (Seat #s: 2,
3, 4)
10 (including 1
incumbent)
Up to 8 6
Public Art
Commission
3 (Seat #s: 1,
4, 7)
10 Up to 8 6
Councilmembers will submit their votes for whom to interview to the City Clerk, and the City Clerk will announce the results at the October 6, 2025 City Council meeting. BCC candidate interviews are tentatively scheduled for the October 15, 2025 City Council Special Meeting. Each interview will be scheduled for 10 minutes. Candidates will have an opportunity to summarize their experiences, and the remaining time will be allocated to Councilmember questions.
Appointments are tentatively scheduled for the October 22, 2025 City Council Special Meeting.
Councilmembers will appoint candidates through live voting conducted during the meeting. The City Clerk will announce the results of the vote.
3 Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 1.22.010 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0- 0-0-61320
4 Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 2.25.020 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0- 0-0-61402
5 Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 2.18.020 https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0- 0-0-61257
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
None.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
City staff publicized the recruitment through the City’s Uplift Local community newsletter, City Clerk’s Office newsletters, the City’s website, and the City’s social media channels. The recruitment was also advertised in both print and online in the Palo Alto Daily Post and Palo Alto Weekly. Recruitment information was also posted at Palo Alto libraries and City Hall and emailed to previous applicants, community-based organizations and businesses related to the commissions’ issue areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: HRC Applications - Redacted
Attachment B: PRC Applications - Redacted
Attachment C: PAC Applications - Redacted
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk