BCC Fall Recruitment
Interview Selection (PRC and PAC)
Presenters:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk
Christine Prior, Assistant City Clerk
September 14, 2026 www.PaloAlto.gov
1 • Positions
• Human Relations Commission: 2 Full Terms and 1 Partial Term (11/1/25 – 10/31/28) • Parks and Recreation Commission: 4 Full Terms
• Planning and Transportation Commission: 1 Partial Term (4/1/26 – 3/31/30) • Public Art Commission: 2 Full Terms
• Stormwater Management Oversight Committee: 2 Full Terms • Timeline
• July 21 – Sept 2 – Recruitment open
• Sept 14 – Review applications/select candidates to interview for PRC and PAC • Sept 22 – Interview candidates for PRC and PAC
• Sept 28 – Review applications/select candidates to interview for HRC, PTC, SWMOC • Sept 30 – Interview candidates for HRC, PTC, SWMOC
• Oct 5 – Appoint members to HRC, PRC, PTC, PAC, SWMOC
FALL RECRUITMENT
• Councilmembers will vote on whom to interview, getting twice the number of votes as there are openings. The top vote getters are interviewed.
• The number of interviewees varies based on the number of vacancies. o Interview all candidates if there are 6 or fewer applicants o Interview up to 6 candidates when there are 1-2 openings o Interview up to 8 candidates when there are 3 openings o Interview up to 10 candidates when there are 4 openings • Candidates must receive at least 2 votes to be interviewed.
PROCESS
2 • Parks and Recreation Commission
• 4 Vacancies
• 13 Applicants
• Interview up to 10 candidates
• Each Councilmember has 8 votes
• Public Art Commission
• 2 Vacancies
• 10 Applicants
• Interview up to 6 candidates
• Each Councilmember has 4 votes
PRC AND PAC
3 Abhijit Solanki: Lu, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (4)
Art Robinson: Stone (1)
Aubrey Whitcomb: Lauing, Lythcott-Haims (2)
Ben Lenail: Burt, Lu, Reckdahl, Stone (4)
Bing Betty Wei: Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (6) Brenton Hanlon: Burt, Lauing (2)
Leo Hochberg
: Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Veenker (5)
Marc Schoenen: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone (6) Musaab Farooqui: Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Stone (3)
Richard P . Robinson: (0)
Shani Kleinhaus
: Burt, Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (7) Sterling Watson: Burt, Lauing, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Veenker (5) Virginia Ruiz Albacete: Burt, Lu, Stone, Veenker (4)
*Aubrey Whitcomb and Brenton Hanlon tied. Second round of voting required.
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
4 Aubrey Whitcomb: Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Stone, Veenker (5) Brenton Hanlon: Burt, Reckdahl (2)
None of the above: (0)
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION (ROUND 2)
5 Bruce Grimes CANDIDATE WITHDRAWN
Christine Gu: Reckdahl (1)
Claude Ezran: Lauing, Stone, Veenker (3)
Eedit Bareket: Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl (4)
Harriet Stern: Burt, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Stone, Veenker (6) Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts: Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Stone (4) Mette Huberman: Burt, Lauing, Veenker (3)
Musaab Farooqui: (0)
Ruth-Anne Siegel: Lauing, Lu, Lythcott-Haims, Reckdahl, Veenker (5) Yingyang Fiona Wang: Burt (1)
PUBLIC ART COMMISSION
6