City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
APPOINTMENTS
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: October 26, 2026
Report #:2610-6866
TITLE
Appointment of Candidates to the Public Art Commission (PAC) and Stormwater Management Oversight Committee (SWMOC); CEQA Status - Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council appoint up to two candidates to the PAC and up to two candidates to SWMOC and authorize staff to continue recruitment if any positions are not filled through this action.
BACKGROUND
Recruitment for Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCCs) is split into fall and spring cycles.
The fall recruitment opened on July 28, 2026 and closed on September 2, 2026. This recruitment includes 12 vacancies across 5 meeting bodies. The fall cycle includes HRC, PRC, PAC, and SWMOC. Unscheduled vacancies on the HRC and PTC arose during the recruitment, and staff incorporated these positions into the fall recruitment for efficiency and cost savings. BCC applications were published as part of the September 14, 2026 agenda packet1 and are available online and in Attachment A.
The City Clerk will distribute electronic ballots to each Councilmember at the start of the item.
Each Councilmember has one vote per vacancy. Four votes are required to appoint a member, and additional rounds of voting will be conducted to break ties if necessary.
ANALYSIS
A summary of the applicants, vacancies, and eligibility requirements are included below. In addition to the eligibility requirements below, no commissioners may be Councilmembers, officers, or employees of the City.
1 September 14, 2026 City Council, Item #2; SR# 2606-6493 https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/viewer/preview?id=0&type=8&uid=bf3fdd2a-9958-4241-aeb3-e69d7f73c5f6 Public Art Commission
Number of Vacancies and
Term Dates
2 Full Term Vacancies (11/1/2026 - 10/31/2029)
Seat Numbers 2, 6
Eligibility Requirements Members of the public art commission either shall 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 city3.
Total Number of Applicants 10
Applicants Interviewed on
10/19
• Claude Ezran
• Harriet Stern
• Mette Huberman
• Marilyn Gottlieb-Roberts
• Eedit Bareket
Number of Votes per
Councilmember
2 Stormwater Management Oversight Committee
Number of Vacancies and
Term Dates
2 Full Term Vacancies (11/1/2026 – 10/31/2029)
Seat Numbers 2, 3
Eligibility Requirements Each Committee member shall be a resident of Palo Alto, an employee of a business located in Palo Alto or an owner of real property within the City4.
Total Number of Applicants 7
Applicants Interviewed on
10/19
• Susan Rosenberg
• Gregory Bennett
• Brian Hamachek
• Doug Burns
• Catherine Perman
• Lee Taubeneck
Number of Votes per
Councilmember
2 3
Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 2.18.020:
https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-61257 4 Resolution 10310:
https://recordsportal.paloalto.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=897189&dbid=0&repo=PaloAlto
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
None.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
City staff publicized the recruitment through the following methods:
• Electronic distribution via the City’s Uplift Local community newsletter, City Clerk’s Office newsletter, City’s website, and City’s social media channels; • Physical posting and flyer distribution at City facilities, including libraries, community centers, and City Hall;
• Print and online ads in the Palo Alto Daily Post and Palo Alto Weekly; and • Outreach to previous applicants, community-based organizations and groups related to the commissions’ subject matter jurisdiction.
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: PAC and SWMOC Applications
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, City Clerk