Pleasant Hill City Council
February 16, 2023

CITY OF PLEASANT HILL

CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
FEBRUARY 16, 2023
SPECIAL MEETING – 7:00 PM
Per City Council resolution under AB 361, members of the City Council, City staff/consultants, and the public will be able to participate either in-person* at
City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
or remotely via Zoom.
*Due to social distancing requirements, limited seating is available in person; if capacity is reached, you may participate remotely via Zoom.*
Watch on YouTube at: www.pleasanthillca.org/councilmeeting To provide comments via teleconference, click on the meeting link and enter the meeting ID and Passcode:

Meeting link: www.zoom.us
Meeting ID: 840 3431 1659
Passcode: 784007
The meeting ID and Passcode will change each meeting. See more information on Public Participation Options below.

City Council Meeting Agenda Page 1 February 16, 2023
City Offices, 100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Telephone (925) 671-5267

MAYOR TIMOTHY FLAHERTY COUNCILMEMBER SUE NOACK

VICE MAYOR MATTHEW RINN COUNCILMEMBER ZAC SHESS
Options for observing the meeting and participating in public comment are provided below.

Public Communication. The public is welcome to address the City Council on items listed on the agenda during the Public Comment period. Comments are generally limited to three minutes.

Public Participation Options
1)_ Watch the Meeting via Youtube Livestream at www.pleasanthillca.org/councilmeeting. 2) Submit Written Comments by 4 pm the Day of the Meeting to [email protected] (comments received by deadline will be provided to the City Council before the meeting). Please specify that the correspondence is for public comment at the Council meeting. 3) Make Public Comment During the Meeting
When the Mayor invites public comment (or public comments on specific agenda items), you may participate in one of the following three ways:

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a. Via Zoom
Go to www.Zoom.us using your computer/smart device and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode provided near the top of this page. You are encouraged to turn on your camera/video with a blurred background during your public comment so the City Council and public can see you on screen. We ask that you state your name and city of residence for the record when you start your comments.

Please use the "Raise hand" feature in Zoom. You will be observing the meeting as an Attendee and will not be seen or heard until it is your turn to speak. You will be invited into the meeting as a Panelist and asked to speak when it is your turn.
 Try to be in a room or space without a lot of background noise.  Mute your microphone until it is your turn to speak.
 Have a strong, reliable internet connection
b. Via Phone
Call (669) 900-6833 and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode. If connecting via telephone, press *9 to “raise your hand” to alert staff that you wish to speak. (Note that there may be multiple hearing items on the same agenda.)
 Have a strong, reliable internet connection or cell phone signal. c. In Person
Members of the public may attend the meeting in person subject to the limited space available. You may speak on any matter within the City Council's jurisdiction. Please fill out a speaker's card, available at the entry to the Council Chambers, and turn it in to the City Clerk.

If, due to a disability, a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in this meeting, please contact the ADA Coordinator 24 hours in advance of the meeting at (925) 671-5221 or via California Relay at 711.

Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available to the public in the City’s Public Records Portal at https://cityarchive.pleasanthillca.org/WebLink/ (click on City Council Agenda Packets) or by contacting the City Clerk at [email protected] or 925-671-5221.

City Council Meeting Recordings and Broadcasts.

Recorded City Council meetings are broadcast on Comcast Channel 28, Wave Channel 1029, and AT&T UVerse Channel 99 on the Wednesday following the meeting. Video recordings are generally available within 48 hours of the meeting, and may be viewed on the City’s website at www.pleasanthillca.org/MeetingVideos and selecting “City Council” from the meeting groups.

Agendas are Available for Review on the City Hall official noticing bulletin board (100 Gregory Lane), at the Pleasant Hill Police Department (330 Civic Drive), the Pleasant Hill Senior Center (233 Gregory Lane), and on the City’s website at www.pleasanthillca.org/agendas. Agenda packets will be available to the public on the City’s website at the same time as they are made available to the City Council.

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1. CALL TO ORDER

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

3. ROLL CALL

4. ACTION CALENDAR

4.1 Interview Applicants and Adopt Resolution No. __-23 to Fill the City Council Vacancy

5. ADJOURNMENT
Next City Council Meeting: February 27, 2023

CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: February 16, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: INTERVIEW APPLICANTS AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. __-23 TO

FILL THE CITY COUNCIL VACANCY

SYNOPSIS
Government Code § 36512(b) provides that after the resignation of an elected City Councilmember, the City Council must, within 60 days from the commencement of the vacancy, either appoint a successor or call a special election to fill the vacancy until the certification of the next General (Municipal) Election. The appointment must be made prior to March 1, 2023. The City Council voted to proceed with an appointment process on December 5, 2022 and determined the application process on January 9, 2023 with direction to staff on initiating the recruitment with a deadline of January 27, 2023. On January 30, 2023, the City Council determined the interview and appointment process, and appointed a subcommittee to return on February 6, 2023 with interview questions. The City Council selected four applicants at the February 6 meeting to interview at a special meeting on February 16, 2023, and approved the interview questions and format. The City Council will interview the four applicants and may adopt the proposed resolution to appoint one applicant to fill the City Council vacancy.

DISCUSSION
Background
Government Code § 36512(b) provides the process for filling an elected Councilmember’s seat if vacated prior to the end of their term. The City Council voted on December 5, 2022 to proceed with an appointment process to fill the City Councilmember vacancy resulting from Councilmember Carlson’s election as Contra Costa County Supervisor for District IV. On January 9, 2023, the City Council provided direction to staff to finalize the application, with a submittal deadline of 12:00 p.m. on January 27, 2023; conduct a recruitment for qualified candidates to fill the vacancy; and return to the City Council following the close of the application period for further discussion.

Staff publicly noticed the vacancy (including the application process) via the following outlets:
 City website;
 Social media accounts;

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 Electronic billboard at City Hall;
 Agenda posting board outside of City Hall; the Police Department; and the Senior Center  Press release (also sent to City commissioners);
 January 20, 2023 Biweekly Update; and
 East Bay Times on January 20, 2023, and January 25, 2023.

On January 30, 2023, the City Council determined the interview and appointment process, appointed a subcommittee (“Interview Subcommittee”) to return to the full Council with draft interview questions, and set the regular City Council meeting of February 6, 2023 as the meeting at which the interview pool, questions, and date would be determined.

The City Council selected four applicants at the February 6 meeting to interview at a special meeting on February 16, 2023 and approved the interview questions and format.

Analysis
During the two-week application period (January 13, 2023 to January 27, 2023), the City received applications from eleven qualified candidates listed below in the Randomized Alphabet Drawing (“RAD”) order the California Secretary of State’s Office utilized for the November 8, 2022 General (Municipal) Election.

Veronica Dise-Hodge
Husein Attarwala
Allen Vinson
Andrei Obolenskiy
Eslam Najjar
Chris Tipton
Zhanna Thompson
Stephen Zalewski
David Field
Darien Key
Oliver Greenwood
On January 30, 2023, the City Council established the process for the February 6, 2023 meeting at which the City Council selected the following four applicants (listed in the RAD order and on the attached tally sheet displayed on-screen for the public at the meeting) to interview at a special meeting on February 16, 2023:

Allen Vinson
Eslam Najjar
Chris Tipton
Zhanna Thompson
The City Council finalized the following interview process and the interview questions to be asked (attached) at the February 16 interviews:

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1. Public comment on the item will be opened.

2. The interview pool will be interviewed in the RAD order above, one applicant at a time. (Each applicant will be fully interviewed before the Council proceeds to the next applicant.)

3. The Clerk Recorder will time all statements and responses using the public comment timer.

4. Each applicant may provide a two-minute opening statement.

5. Councilmembers (in the usual roll-call order) will ask each applicant one to two questions; the same Councilmember will ask the same question(s) of each applicant.

6. Follow-up questions based on applicant answers may be asked by the Councilmembers.

7. Applicants may provide a one-minute closing statement.

8. Each Councilmember will verbally name two applicants they want to consider for appointment (not in any ranked order).

9. The City Clerk will display a tally sheet of the applicants to be considered on-screen.

10. An applicant must be named by a minimum of three Councilmembers on the tally sheet to be considered for appointment.

11. Councilmembers may ask applicants named by a total of three Councilmembers one to two more questions.

12. The Mayor will entertain a motion/second to adopt the resolution appointing one applicant.

13. The City Council will vote on the motion (and continue motion/second/vote) until an applicant is appointed.

14. The Oath of Office will be administered to the appointee, and the new Councilmember will be seated.

Staff invited the four selected applicants to the interview meeting as directed by the Council and publicly noticed the meeting in accordance with the Brown Act. Applications for the four selected applicants are attached.

FISCAL IMPACT
The cost to implement the current step in the process includes staff time.

PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.

RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Interview the four applicants and adopt the resolution appointing one applicant to fill the City Council vacancy.

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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Councilmembers are essential officers of municipal government (Government Code §36501) and a new one must be selected by law. The Council has a mandatory duty to choose to either appoint a new councilmember or call a special election for that purpose by March 1, 2023 (Government Code § 36512(b)). No alternatives to this duty are available.

ATTACHMENT(S):

Proposed Resolution
City Councilmember Applications
Secretary of State Randomized Alphabet Drawing
City Council Applicant Pool Tally Sheet
Questions for City Council Vacancy Interviews
Correspondence from the Public
Prepared by: Danielle K. Navarro, Principal Management Analyst/City Clerk Approved by: June Catalano, City Manager

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RESOLUTION NO. -23

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLEASANT HILL

APPOINTING TO COMPLETE THE TERM OF FORMER

COUNCILMEMBER KEN CARLSON
WHEREAS, former Councilmember Ken Carlson’s Council seat became vacant as a result of his election to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors; and WHEREAS, Councilmember Carlson’s term does not expire until certification of the November 2024 General (Municipal) Election; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 36512 of the Government Code, the Council must fill the vacancy by appointment or call a special election to fill the vacancy within 60 days of the vacancy, March 1, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 36512(b)(2)(B) provides that “if the vacancy occurs in the second half of a term of office, the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired term of the former incumbent[;]” and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill voted to fill the vacancy by appointment and at a series of public City Council meetings between December 5, 2022 and February 6, 2023, established an interview and appointment process by which to determine the applicant to be appointed to fill the vacancy at a special meeting held on February 16, 2023; and WHEREAS, the Council reviewed and considered 11 submitted applications and selected four applicants to be interviewed during a publicly noticed special meeting; and WHEREAS, at the special City Council meeting on February 16, 2023, the Council conducted an interview of the four applicants and discussed and deliberated for the purpose of selecting one applicant to appoint to the vacant seat.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill that:

Section 1. Pursuant to Government Code Section 36512, the Council hereby appoints to fill the vacant seat on the City Council for the remainder of the term, which will terminate upon certification of the November 2024 General (Municipal) Election.

Section 2. If any provision of this Resolution or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Resolution that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Resolution are severable. The Council declares that the Council would have adopted this Resolution irrespective of the invalidity of any particular portion of this Resolution.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect and be in full force immediately after its adoption by the Council.

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Attachment: Proposed Resolution (City Council Interviews) ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Pleasant Hill at a special meeting held on the 16th day of February, 2023, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:
___________________________________
TIMOTHY M. FLAHERTY, Mayor
ATTEST:

DANIELLE K. NAVARRO, City Clerk

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Attachment: Proposed Resolution (City Council Interviews)

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews)

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Attachment from Allen Vinson
In what way(s) are you or have you been active in the Pleasant Hill community? * I have served on the Pleasant Hill Planning Commission since 2016. I have been involved in the review and approval of several major projects, including updating the General Plan, the new Library, Choice in Aging, new subdivisions and related projects, as well as all the other matters and issues that come before the commission.

I served one year as Chair of the Planning Commission and was a member of GPAC early in the process.

I currently represent the Planning Commission on the Economic Development Committee.

My wife Sandy and I served for 13 years as members of the Pleasant Hill 4th of July Commission. I served as President for two years. Planning began every September and culminated with a full day of events on the 4th. For 9 years I chaired the Firecracker 5K Fun Run and helped plan and work on all of the day’s events: Fun Run, Parade, Party in the Park and Fireworks show at College Park High School. I negotiated the use agreement with MDUSD for the use of the field at College Park for the fireworks show. I was also involved in fundraising for the event.

In 2018, my wife Sandy and I were recognized as Pleasant Hill’s Citizens of the Year for 2017.

That year, I also obtained a grant to fund the installation of a bench by the Hospice Tree next to the Rec and Park offices.

On behalf of our local Veterans Day Committee and the 4th of July Commission, I have appeared before the Pleasant Hill Rec & Park Board and the City Council Budget Committee to submit written proposals and oral presentations to successfully partner with these entities in sponsoring and hosting these events.

I volunteer for a number of Pleasant Hill events, so I am often out and about interacting and observing the city and its residents.

This past year, I volunteered at three Rec and Park events: Easter Egg Hunt, Haunted Trail and the Holiday Festival. I handled check-in for the Easter Egg Hunt, was a greeter on the Haunted Trail and a photographer at the Holiday Festival. It was evident that Pleasant Hill has and attracts many young, diverse families. All enjoyed themselves.

I have also volunteered at the summer Blues and Brews Festival, the Chamber of Commerce Art, Wine and Music Festival, Meals on Wheels, turkey carving for Christmas for Everyone and other local events and activities on a regular basis.

Briefly, other community activities in which I have been involved include:
•President of the Rotary Club of Pleasant Hill 2017-18/Current Membership Chair

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) •Chair of the Rotary Club’s St. Patrick’s Auction Committee •Publicity Chair – Pleasant Hill 4th of July Commission – 6 years •Pleasant Hill Elementary School Site Council
•Assisted in development of PHE school safety plan
•Pleasant Hill Baseball and Soccer Associations coach and commissioner •Participant in Community Service Day
•Volunteer photographer for various events
Why do you want to be on the City Council?
The decisions made by local government, such as city council, school boards, and water districts, have a daily impact on the residents of Pleasant Hill. I have been involved in making such decisions as a member of the Planning Commission and would like to continue that role as a council member.

Having served on the Planning Commission, a position on City Council is a logical next step for me. I have the experience of 6 years of Planning Commission meetings. In addition, I have attended or watched almost every City Council meeting for the past few years. I have also watched every Pleasant Hill Rec and Park meeting for the past 2 ½ years, so I have a great deal of knowledge about what is going on in our city.

I have periodically watched other commission and city meetings, such as Commission on Aging, Budget Committee and Civic Action Commission, and am familiar with their roles.

At the current time, I notice that two committee vacancies that may be filled by the new appointee include the General Plan Committee and the Interview and Nominating Subcommittee. My experience on GPAC and the Planning Commission would be useful for serving on the General Plan Committee and as someone who has been an employer and interview panel member, my experience would be beneficial to this subcommittee.

As pointed out elsewhere in this application, I have successfully chaired and led the Planning Commission, the non-profit 4th of July Commission and the Rotary Club of Pleasant Hill.

Anyone applying for City Council needs to know that if appointed, they will be taking on a great deal of work. I understand that. I am not an applicant that is telling you what I will do if selected – I am already doing work on behalf of the city. If selected, I am well prepared to assume the role of council member.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) What experience would you bring to the Council that you feel would be of most benefit to the City and its residents, businesses, and visitors?
As a member of the Planning Commission, I have experience reviewing lengthy board packets, sharing opinions, collaborating with fellow commissioners to find solutions to problems, interacting with the public during public comment and making findings of fact.

As a member of the Economic Development Committee, I was involved in the creation of the highly successful Pleasant Hill Perks program.

While serving as President of the Pleasant Hill 4th of July Commission, I handled unexpected problems or issues that arose during the planning or on the day of the event. Members of the public would often state that they were surprised by and appreciative of how quickly I responded to emails or other inquiries about the event.

I was an attorney for over 40 years. I served as the managing partner of a law firm specializing in education law. My practice emphasized general school law, administrative hearings, employer-employee issues and facilities/construction issues.

EXPERIENCE
Hearing Officer
I served as a hearing officer for school districts and county offices of education on a regular basis.

My role included:
- Serving as the independent hearing officer to conduct the hearing and prepare the proposed decision for the Governing Board or County Superintendent, or - Conducting the hearing for the Governing Board. The board members are in attendance and make the final decision. My role was to serve as the hearing officer and conduct the hearing, including introduction of evidence, opening statements and stipulations, swearing in of witnesses, ruling on objections, advising the board on relevant law, and assisting in preparation of the decision.

Legal Counsel for School Districts and County Offices of Education I worked with California school districts and county offices of education for almost 40 years.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) I have represented school districts in contract negotiations, facilities and construction matters, administrative hearings, civil litigation, developer fee issues, district reorganizations, Brown Act issues, sexual harassment issues, election issues, conflict of interest, employee discipline and student related issues.

EDUCATION
B.S. Business Administration, graduated with honors, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
J.D., with honors, John F. Kennedy School of Law

SEMINARS, CONFERENCES & PUBLICATIONS
When actively practicing law, I presented numerous seminars for school districts, county offices of education, and other associations, on a variety of topics, including sexual harassment, work related illness and injury, the Brown Act, the California Public Records Act, employee evaluations, public records requests, and collective bargaining.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews)

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Eslam Najjar
Elementary/Middle School Educator
28 Cleopatra Drive
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
[email protected]

EXPERIENCE
Local Homeschooling Cooperative, Lafayette - Teacher
September 2013 - PRESENT
● Early Childhood Department Coordinator, 3 years
● Operations Committee, 3 years
● Coop Culture Committee, 2021 - Current
● Worked as lead teacher in various subjects and grades (Early Childhood to 8th grade) for the past ten years
IMAN, Chicago - After-School Program Coordinator
2001 - 2003
● Managed all program logistics (budget, location, recruitment) for elementary/middle school after-school tutoring program and summer camp

EDUCATION
DePaul University, Chicago - BA/BS Secondary Education
Class of 2006
SKILLS
● Public Speaking, Leadership, Adaptability, Collaboration, Organization, Project Management, Problem Solving, Writing, Interpersonal Communication
● Photography, Video Editing, Google Docs/Spreadsheets/Slides, Social Media Marketing, Administrative Skills, Data Entry, Typography, Print Design

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews)

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Chris Tipton
[email protected]
City Council Applications Questions:

In what way(s) are you or have you been active in the Pleasant Hill community?
In 2012, I began my incredible Pleasant Hill Experience. I was looking to get involved in the Pleasant Hill Community, so I reached out to City Hall. My first interaction was with our dear friend Martin Nelis. He suggested I check out the 4th of July Commission, which I did, and have been involved with it ever since.

Over these past 11 years, I have held many positions on the commission, which included: Park Event Chair, 5K Run Chair, Vice-President, and President. I have been actively involved in the commission’s budget management and the necessary annual fundraising of over $60,000 in order to put on the city’s largest single-day event. I am very proud of the events we’ve put on over the years and especially proud of the fact that since I’ve been on the commission, the 5K Run has raised over $100,000 for Pleasant Hill Schools.

During the pandemic, the 4th of July event was looking like it was going to be shut down completely (like everything else in the world), but I didn’t think we should give up. So I pushed for a modified celebration and brought my proposal to the City Council and City Manager. During those dark days, it was important to me to try and bring some joy to the community. Since people couldn’t come to the parade, we would bring it to them. We organized a two-hour auto parade that weaved through the city’s various neighborhoods.

Seeing kids escape their homes and the look of surprise on their faces as a parade came down their street was worth it. I also hired a “Happy 4th of July Pleasant Hill” aerial banner flying over the city, we had live music on our website, and a house decorating contest. Local TV news crews soon arrived and reported on our city’s “never give up” mentality during the pandemic. Out of all the 4th of July celebrations that I‘ve been involved with, that one sits at the top.

I was also appointed to the Civic Action Commission from 2014 -2018. This included organizing and participating in the Concerts by the Lake Series, Light up the Night, Community Service Day, and Senior Day. At the end of my 4-year appointment, I was honored to receive the Award of Appreciation from the City of Pleasant Hill.

In 2015, I reached out to the City’s Economic Development Manager, Kelly Calhoun, regarding the city’s new Gateway Project. I joined the Advisory Committee and participated in the project’s focus group. I worked with Kelly and John Gibbs (from WRT Designs) and helped develop various gateway concepts. I also presented with Mr.

Gibbs our concepts to the Architectural Review Commission. The results of our hard work are the beautiful gateway signs you see when you enter Pleasant Hill.

In 2016, I was involved in the door-to-door campaign to support the city’s proposed ballot Measure K. The measure was a half percent sales tax for the next 20 years. $39M was needed in city infrastructure needs to repair failing streets, storm drains, and

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) potholes. It was also necessary to secure funding for a badly needed library. There was strong opposition to the measure and the new library, but I understood the need and its long-term benefits. I volunteered to help put up signs, put out door hangers, and went door to door talking with residents about the benefits of this measure and the positive impact it would have on our community. The benefits of this measure are obvious as you drive around our beautiful city today and the new library is now one of the city’s many crown jewels.

In 2019, looking for ways to help out, I heard that the Pleasant Hill Foundation for Education needed help to get it back up and running. I joined the foundation’s Board of Directors and worked on the website and provided content for the social media platforms. Unfortunately, after months of planning, the COVID pandemic hit, and the foundation has been on hold ever since. This is something I would like to pick up where we left off and resume its mission to provide grants to Pleasant Hill teachers.

In 2020, I reached out to Gayle Vasser, who was the city’s temporary Public Information Officer. She had come out of retirement to assist with the city’s communications after the tragic loss of Martin Nelis. From my years on various commissions and foundations, I had really enjoyed doing Public Relations and reached out to see if I could help. I worked on several projects for her. Some of these included: Producing the online Pleasant Hill Community Service Award Show via Zoom, a social media campaign leading up to Memorial Day that spotlighted 6 Pleasant Hill veterans, a Polystyrene Ban Research and Report regarding the city’s consideration to limit the use of Expanded Polystyrene Foam, and a social media video campaign informing residents about the new ballot drop box installed at City Hall.

Over the years, I also wrote several pieces for the Community Outlook, promoting events, encouraging others to volunteer, and touting our city’s virtues. The reason I wrote those was that I have gotten so much enjoyment and satisfaction from volunteering in my community. Unlike my years working in the movie industry, I saw my efforts have a real impact on the community and my hope was that I might help others discover the same thing. Its effect on me has inspired a change in my career path and dedicate the rest of my life to working for community-based non-profit organizations and local government.

Why do you want to be on the City Council?
After college, I worked in Los Angeles for 15 years in the movie industry. I started out working on set for commercials and then independent films. I moved up to a larger production company with 20th Century Fox and worked in script development for big studio movies like Gulliver Travels, Garfield, Flight of the Phoenix, Alien vs. Predator, and I Robot. It sounds exciting, but I didn’t find the work very fulfilling. I was putting in long hours, but at the end of the day, none of it mattered. On a trip to visit some friends, my wife and I discovered Pleasant Hill. It reminded me of the small mid-west town I grew up in as a kid in Ohio. I have fond memories of that town- going to ice cream socials, concerts in the park, parades, and sitting in the town square watching fireworks on the 4th of July. My wife and I fell in love with Pleasant Hill and decided to move here in 2010 with our two kids. I got a job with Lucasfilm and continued to work in the movie industry, but I still felt disconnected from my work. It wasn’t until I joined the 4th of July Commission that I found my passion as a community leader. I love encouraging civic engagement and doing things that have a positive effect on the residents where I live.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) I’m helping to create fond memories in the lives of Pleasant Hill families, just like the ones I made as a kid.

I’d like to continue doing that and feel that I am ready to do it as a Pleasant Hill City Council member. What better way to have a positive impact on my community than to help shape it and make incremental improvements in the lives of its residents? I believe that government has a very important responsibility. Given the proper leadership, it has the power to do so many important things for its residents. However, that leadership should come from those that have experience in civic engagement and understands the city’s community and its culture. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience all of these things through my years of volunteering, which I believe makes me uniquely suited for a position on the Council.

What experience would you bring to the Council that you believe would be of most benefit to the City and its residents, businesses, and visitors? When I talk to residents interested in volunteering for the Pleasant Hill 4th of July Commission, one of the things I always stress is how our commissioners get incredible exposure to various aspects of our community. Just from a fundraising standpoint, I engage with many of the local businesses, church groups, non-profit community organizations, the Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Pleasant Hill. I have learned how to build a conservative but flexible budget, write grant applications, and present financial reports. For permits, logistics, and trash & recycling planning, I have worked with members of Rec & Park, Public Works, Planning Division, Mount Diablo School District, Pleasant Hill PD, Contra Costa County Fire, California Highway Patrol, and Republic Services. The knowledge, experience, municipal engagement, and familiarity with our community I have built over the years are invaluable to a position on the Council. This is in addition to the experience I have gained from my years on the Civic Action Commission, and various other community volunteering opportunities I previously discussed. I believe that in order to govern properly, you must first put in the work to really understand the community and all the pieces that make it run.

The other experience I bring to the council relates to my current day job.

From my years volunteering for our community, I picked up the skills and a love for working in Communications and Public Relations. I went back to school to hone those skills, but I also developed a desire to work full-time for a local non-profit that had a positive impact on my community. So this past summer, I was hired as the Communications and Public Relations Manager for the East Bay Rental Housing Association
One of the most important issues facing the Bay Area is housing. The lack of housing growth over the years across the East Bay has contributed to the increase in homelessness and crime. New affordable housing construction has not kept up with job and population growth, putting a strain on local businesses and schools as they struggle to hire a workforce that has been priced out of the area. Available, safe, and affordable homes are an important element in helping to curb those issues. The East Bay Rental Housing Association is a non-profit organization that serves the rental housing community in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. It is a rental housing resource for our 1600 members who own and manage over 43,000 rental-housing units and provide homes for over 120,000 Bay Area residents.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) The wealth of knowledge I have learned since I began working for EBRHA and will continue to learn will be a tremendous resource for the Pleasant Hill City Council. The development of the city’s new 2023-2031 Housing Element was an opportunity to have a community conversation about how to address local housing challenges and find solutions. Going forward, in order for the city to meet its RHNA goals and maintain control over housing decisions in the future, it will be important that the members of the City Council are knowledgeable about other surrounding city and county laws, as well as potential legislation coming out of Sacramento that is surrounding rental housing, affordable housing, high density, and mix-use construction.

I currently sit on a bi-weekly Legislative Policy Committee that tracks legislation across cities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. We also track statewide bills in Sacramento that affect renters, rental housing providers, and new housing construction.

These issues range from EV charging requirements, fumigation bans, and renter tax credits, to homeless programs, anti-discrimination laws, eviction moratoriums, rent control, fair chance, and more.

My job also involves meeting with various Council Members, Mayors, Chambers, Rotary groups, and Housing Authorities across Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Some of the organizations I am building relationships with include the Bay Area Council, Berkeley Property Owners Association, National Apartment Association, California Rental Housing Association, California Apartment Association, and Casita Coalition. As well as renter protection organizations like the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, and Housing Now!
I think it’s important to meet and talk to everyone and draw upon many different viewpoints and opinions before making a decision that affects the lives of others. It’s also important to take the time to understand the available data surrounding various issues so that our decisions have long-term, positive effects, rather than short-term fixes.

Obviously, there are many other important issues facing our city other than housing.

However, I believe that the relationships I have built through years of volunteering and continuing to build through my job will be very beneficial to helping me understand current and upcoming issues when it comes to the needs of the community.

These are the experiences and resources I bring to the council.

Please indicate any further information or comments you wish to make that would be helpful in considering your candidacy.

There is a lot to be done. Bringing in someone who has been involved with the city, its council members, businesses, organizations, and residents will save so much wasted time as I know I can hit the ground running.

I understand the culture and mentality of its residents and know that I will perform at the highest level in order to represent them in a way that will make them proud. I want to ensure that Pleasant Hill retains its small-town charm and provides its residents with a safe home for their families to build lifelong memories. I want all its residents to have an incredible Pleasant Hill Experience.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews)

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Christopher Tipton

EXPERIENCE (Continued):

PLEASANT HILL CIVIC ACTION COMMISSION | Pleasant Hill, CA (2014 - 2018) Commission responsible for planning various city sponsored events.

Commissioner / Community Organizer
• Appointed to the commission by members of the City Council to help with civic engagement events including: Summer Concert Series, Community Service Day, Light up the Night. • Received the AWARD OF APPRECIATION from the City of Pleasant Hill for my 4 years on the commission.

LUCASFILM LTD. / INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC | San Francisco, CA (2010 - 2014) ILM is the Visual Effects Division of Lucasfilm Ltd.

Global Production Manager
• Responsible for building partnerships with external companies and overseeing an annual average of $20M-$30M of work sent out globally to companies in China, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Macedonia & Singapore. • Projects include Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Mission Impossible: 4, Super 8, Cowboys & Aliens, Transformers 3, The Avengers, Pacific Rim, Star Trek 2, and The Lone Ranger.
• Established, implemented, and managed the communications best practices and workflow for all external global partners including creating internal ILM Global Production Newsletter. • Ensured constant communication external Producers in order to build a trusting relationship, maintain schedule, budget, and quality assurance.
• Successfully navigated between various internal ILM & Lucasfilm departments (Accounting, Business Affairs, IS, IT, Production, Logistics, Travel, Training, Scheduling, and Global Pipeline) to ensure efficient communication.

DAVIS ENTERTAINMENT / Los Angeles, CA (2006 - 2010)
Film & TV Production Company for 20th Century Fox with over $2 billion in box office revenue.

Creative Executive
• Interacted with production team and on screen talent to make sure creative notes were communicated. • Involved with over 16 feature films that have grossed over $2 Billion worldwide: Gulliver Travels, Dr. Dolittle 4, Garfield’s Fun Fest, Garfield Gets Real, Eragon, Garfield: Tail of Two Kitties, When A Stranger Calls, Flight of the Phoenix, Fat Albert, First Daughter, Alien vs. Predator, I Robot.
• I evaluated, developed, and sold marketable branded properties, books, scripts, and pitches for live action and animated feature films and TV.
• Managed 30 to 40 projects in various stages of development and composed detailed notes on a large volume of information (20-30 pitches, scripts and books a week).

EDUCATION:

IAP CAREER COLLEGE - Public Relations
SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY - Cinema Production
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY - Theater Production
COMPUTER SKILLS:
• PC/Mac - Windows & OS X
• Microsoft Office
• Google Docs
• Act!
• Salesforce
• iMovie & Final Cut
• Filemaker Pro
• Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
• Canva & Photosho

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) City Council Application
In what way(s) are you or have you been active in the Pleasant Hill community? * I have been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) for almost 7 years and I have had the privilege of working with families in our community to provide support to their children who had varying diagnoses. I worked in their homes, in the community setting, and in classroom settings to teach social, life, and executive functioning skills. This allowed me the opportunity to identify resources that are lacking and experience the stigma associated with being different.

As part of my role, I led our Sensory Santa Night event for the neurodivergent. We created an evening where the whole family was invited for a holiday event with the highlight being pictures with Santa in a room that can be converted to meet the specific needs of the child. For many families, this was the first holiday family photo they had with their whole family. For others it was a night out where their child was paired with an aid, and they could watch them engage with the community while also having the opportunity to meet others. I believe we can do more for the differently abled families.

I have had the opportunity to participate with my family in events put on by the city and the Recreation and Parks District. Our participation includes volunteering during community service day, volunteering in multiple school garden programs, donating needed supplies, and volunteering in the classrooms and on field trips.

Why do you want to be on the City Council?
My decision to apply for this vacancy stems from my desire to collaborate and hold true to the goals of the City Council for a city that is safe, a city that is well planned, and a city that provides a high quality of life too it’s residents.

While campaigning in 2022, I walked and knocked on doors with my volunteers. I personally knocked on the doors of 60% of homes in Pleasant Hill. I had many conversations on the doorstep, through email, via text message, phone call, and Zoom chats with individual members of our community. I learned about their lives, their priorities, and what they are seeking within the City of Pleasant Hill. It was an honor to meet each person, and I am thankful for their time and conversations. Issues that resonated with me focus on Pleasant Hill families who are unsure if they can afford to stay in Pleasant Hill, families who are worried about their safety walking and biking in Pleasant Hill, families and individuals who are feeling isolated from their community, and residents who want to see Pleasant Hill be a leader in sustainability.

Pleasant Hill city staff and council members worked tirelessly to put together the general plan for this certification period. The housing element being the most difficult, as it required implementation of numerous state laws, has increased our RHNA expectation for the next 8 years. After multiple town halls and opportunities for public comment and review, the draft plan

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) is in for the HCD review. Most of Pleasant Hill is already built out, therefore it was imperative for the City Planning Team to look at underutilized areas.

Our housing element includes rezoning established areas into mixed use higher density areas.

Partnering with the right developer, who considers our community needs, will bring opportunities for increased walkability, bike-ability, and small business. Mixed use development will bring workforce housing, adding to the diversity of our city. Our community will thrive as a wellplanned and well-balanced city.

To create balance, we need representatives from different backgrounds, different areas of Pleasant Hill, and different generations. I want to provide a voice for the underrepresented members of the community that might not feel seen or heard. During my 2022 campaign, I spoke with individuals who believed that their area was not represented on the City Council.

This included immigrants and transplants, families with young children, and working class communities. My generation needs to have a representative who values sustainability as well as a safe and walkable Pleasant Hill.

My focus aligns with the existing City Council Goal 1 c: To improve traffic safety around the city, specifically around schools. As a parent with young children, I am advocating for increasing our walkability and pedestrian and bike safety. I will work to accomplish this goal by listening to our community, partnering with districts that serve Pleasant Hill and County partners, and collaborating with fellow Council members and city staff.

Currently, the Bicycle and Pedestrian master plan is being updated and proposed for adoption.

At the most recent planning commission meeting on January 24th 2023, there were multiple members of the public that commented on the plan voicing their desire to see connected, protected bike lanes and accessible sidewalks around our schools. The community is asking for safety corridors or protected pathways in busy intersections and crossings of 680 and 242, adequate upgrades of the existing interchanges, and proposing new bike/walk bridges or underpasses. With Pleasant Hill being a drive through city, a balance needs to be struck where the community that lives here has their needs met, and the commuters who pass through do not cause traffic congestion.

I am a firm believer that change happens on the local level and our quality of life is dependent on what decisions are made on the City Council. As Pleasant Hill continues to grow and adapt to the new mandates, I will partner with my fellow Council members, our County Partners, and our residents to promote a high quality of life for our community in a sustainable way.

What experience would you bring to the Council that you believe would be of most benefit to the City and its residents, businesses, and visitors? As the Northern California Regional Director of Quality Assurance for a Mental Health Company, I have worked alongside multiple county partners, the State of California, and federal

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) regulators to provide services for the underserved and underrepresented individuals and families. We work with the unhoused youths, individuals struggling with addiction, mental health problems, and are a safe place for the LGBTQIA+ community. My job is to identify needs and collaborate with the Agency and County Partners for the best outcome for individuals seeking housing, doctor appointments, mental health services, and creating safe environments for LGBTQIA+ returning home.

I am issue driven and I care for the well-being of families in Pleasant Hill and Contra Costa County. I believe collaboration is key in finding common ground to benefit our community. As a BCBA, I provided direct services to families in their most difficult times. I learned to be patient, look at the bigger picture, and how to navigate difficult conversations. I volunteered at Oakland Children’s Hospital, setting up activities for the inpatient children allowing their families time to leave their bedside and get things done. I volunteered in an assisted living facility in Colorado for the elderly who suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s. I also volunteered with a hospice and sat with loved ones so they would never be alone. My experience across multiple opportunities has taught me how to listen to every stakeholder, how to collaborate with differing views, and to work tirelessly to achieve the best outcome for all.

I also have personal life experiences. As a child, my parents sometimes had to resort to saltine crackers melted in water as baby food. We shared a mattress on the floor and cockroaches in our cabinets was normal. Through hard work and perseverance, our family situation improved, and we began to have a full pantry and an opportunity to live in a safe neighborhood. I’ve attended and graduated College and Graduate School, I’ve worked 3 jobs to make ends meet, and now I have a family of my own and am a mother to 2 young children.

My professional and life experiences have shaped me into a collaborative problem solver who gets things done. As a council member, my spirit of inquiry, dedication to the community, and my lived experience will benefit Pleasant Hill. I bring the perspective of many families who are Pleasant Hill’s quickly growing population.

Please indicate any further information or comments you wish to make that would be helpful in considering your candidacy.

In the 2022 election cycle I walked many different neighborhoods of Pleasant Hill, had many conversations with our residents, and found the common theme of community. The long-term residents stay here because they love the small-town feel. The new residents moved here to find a sense of belonging to a community. Pleasant Hill is the place where all families can belong, and I can work with council to ensure our underrepresented families can thrive as well.

If appointed to represent the residents of Pleasant Hill, I will lead with integrity and collaborate with my colleagues and city staff to ensure Pleasant Hill is a growing community that focuses on building relationships, adding to the small town feel where you know your neighbors, and someone is always available to lend a helping hand.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) It is important to me that all residents of Pleasant Hill feel heard, have a sense of belonging, and have opportunities to be successful. I am issue driven and believe that common ground can be found when we seek the best for our community.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews)

ZHANNA THOMPSON
Pleasant Hill | | [email protected]| ZhannaThompson.com | BCBA

SUMMARY
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with strong leadership and communicative skills focused on opportunities in management. Proficient in time management, organizational structure, attention to detail, and process improvement strategy. Skilled in critical thinking and problem-solving skills stemming from experiences across multiple fields and volunteer opportunities.

EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION
Stars Behavioral Health Group Antioch, CA
Regional Director of Quality Assurance, BCBA Dec ‘21–Current ● Facilitate and implement Rapid Cycle Improvement Projects (RCIP’s) regionally and by agency to streamline efficiency, effectiveness and align to Federal, States and County mandates ● Re-define and develop Continuous Quality Improvement initiatives (CQI) to align with changes implemented by CalAim and new County requirements
Trumpet Behavioral Health Antioch, CA
Regional Manager, Senior Clinician (BCBA) Feb ‘17–Dec ’21 ● Designed and implemented program models that allowed staff to meet stakeholder requirements and deadlines utilizing video modeling and electronic data collection. The program model was adopted across the northern california region and increased stakeholder satisfaction and referrals for services. ● Spearheaded an employee retention program by creating additional opportunities for growth within the company while decreasing the amount of turnover through a peer mentoring program within the company. Leading the process of adapting the program company wide across multiple states. ● Developed schedules that can be implemented across varying clients and produce a template for employees to follow for increased skill acquisitions rates. ● Increased quality assurance by putting systems in place for effective communication that can be transitioned through the management tiers.
● Developed a platform for developing effective program models, data recording, and communication with stakeholders by piloting multiple projects across platforms with my teams. Projects piloted have increased team efficiency and work life balance.
● Overseeing 6 clinical teams consisting of clinicians (BCBAs), RBTs, therapists and administrative staff in 4 diverse regions within northern California.

Clinician (BCBA) Feb ‘17–Nov ‘17
● Developed individualized programs from intake to graduation across a diverse population of clients. ● Designed an assessment training system to bridge the gap for new BCBAs and supporting staff. ● Provided training across multiple teams for individualized program implementations. ● Focused on meeting the needs of the stakeholders with quick turnaround times and communicating effectively on project plans through weekly meetings, training, and collaboration with all parties involved.

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Center for Autism and Related Disorders Walnut Creek, CA Assistant Supervisor (RBT, BCAT) Jan ‘14–Feb ‘17
● Assisted in developing and implementing in-home and center based behavioral programs, re-authorization report writing, provided team member and parent training in DTT and NET programs ● Took on lead trainer responsibilities for incoming staff and developed quality assurance tracking systems to monitor progress of staff and provide additional support as needed. ● Conducted School Observations paired with drafting summaries and proposed recommendations. ● Conducted bi-weekly patient meetings with parents, clients, and staff to review program modifications under the supervision of senior clinical staff.
● Mentored over 15 senior and entry level therapists across 20 projects.

Behavioral Therapist (RBT, BCAT) Jan ‘14–Nov ‘15
● Implemented DTT and NET programming in home, community, and center settings ● Collaborated during team meetings on reporting and updating strategies to increase client success in skill acquisition.

Architect Mason Kirby, Inc San Francisco, CA
Office Manager Jul ‘12–Nov ‘14
● Maximized profit by 300% by growing the team and shifting the focus on the types of projects bid and accepted.
● Increased referrals by developing relationships within the community and vendors ● Initiated and implemented a project organization system with weekly meetings to track project progress and increase timely completion on builds.
● Organized and attended meetings between potential stakeholders and team for project discussions. ● Created and maintained systems for accounting and bookkeeping ● Filled available positions by posting opportunities and conducting interviews ● Conducted necessary employee training on CAD systems and updated platforms. ● Developed and administered multiple marketing schedules ● Initiated collaborative design discussions and decisions by restructuring communication within the office.

Massen Medical Inc. Hayward, CA
Clerk Aug ‘06–Aug ‘10
● Oversaw multiple schedules, including personal and professional ● Created and maintained an organizational system for office documents ● Initiated and transferred documents to a digital platform ● Improved office efficiency by delegating tasks and developing role requirements during the daily schedule.
● Implemented training for new staff

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Slavic Community Center Castro Valley, CA
Volunteer Camp Coordinator Jan ‘05–Aug ‘10
● Spearheaded the summer camp program in the local Slavic community to provide a summer camp for immigrants and Refugees in the United States, as well as a summer program in a school for orphans in Russia.
● Took on the responsibility of writing and developing every aspect of the camp program to fit the changing needs of the community yearly.
● Delivered the project(s) to stakeholders on time and under budget. ● Delegated tasks across multiple committees and managed multiple projects with tight deadlines. ● Partnered and cultivated relationships with vendors.
● Resolved unforeseen circumstances quickly and efficiently, while maintaining a high level of professionalism and enjoyment
● Transitioned the program successfully to the local Slavic community Arizona State University Tempe, AZ
M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction (Applied Behavior Analysis) Aug ‘16 Colorado Christian University Lakewood, CO
B.A., Psychology May ‘12

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Attachment: City Council Applications (City Council Interviews) Elections Division | 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor | Sacramento, CA 95814 Tel 916.657.2166 | Fax 916.653.3214 | www.sos.ca.gov

1. Y

2. I

3. D

4. A

5. B

6. R
August 18, 2022
County Clerk/Registrar of Voters (CC/ROV) Memorandum #22193 TO: All County Clerks/Registrars of Voters
FROM: /s/ Kirsten Larsen
Election Services Manager
RE: General Election: Randomized Alphabet Drawing
In accordance with Elections Code section 13112(b)(1)(C)(i), the Secretary of State’s office conducted a drawing of the letters of the alphabet to determine the randomized alphabet for use in the above election. Listed below is the official order of letters for use in determining placement of candidates’ names on the ballot.

Please note that this alphabet is to be applied THROUGHOUT the candidate’s entire last name, so if more than one candidate’s surname begins with the same letter, the second letter of the surname determines who goes first, according to where the second letter of the name appears in the random alphabet. For example, if two candidates with the surname of Campbell and Carlson are running for the same office, their order on the ballot will depend on the order in which the letters “M” and “R” were drawn in the randomized alphabet drawing.

7. V

8. C

9. O

10. P

11. U

12. N

13. E

14. T

15. S

16. X

17. M

18. Z

19. H

20. F

21. W

22. Q

23. L

24. J

25. K

26. G

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Attachment: Secretary of State Randomized Alphabet Drawing (City Council Interviews) Applicant Name Tally Minimum of 2?
Allen4 Yes
Andrei1 No
Eslam3 Yes
Chris4 Yes
Zhanna4 Yes
Oliver1 No
Veronica1 No
Stephen1 No
Darien 1 No
City of Pleasant Hill City Council Interview
Pool
February 6, 2023

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Attachment: City Council Applicant Pool Tally Sheet - Revised (City Council Interviews) Draft Interview Questions for Council Applicants

1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the City’s budget and long-term financial plan? What actions would you take to remedy and take advantage of strengths?

2. What do you agree with and what do you disagree with in the City’s new General Plan and Housing Element?

3. What City services can be improved and how would you approach these?

4. What is the most serious challenge you believe PH is facing over the next 22 months and how would you address it?

5. What is the most important characteristic or quality that you believe a councilmember should have?

6. Our city manager is retiring this year and council must select a successor. What characteristics or qualities do you believe are most important the next city manager should have?

7. Pleasant Hill, like most cities, has an unfunded pension liability. Projections from the state indicate that our City’s payment to CalPers to pay down this liability will increase significantly and the city will need to draw down its reserves. Within a few years we will have expended our entire reserve. How would you cut expenses and/or increase revenue to prevent the city from this financial catastrophe?

8. During the campaign, candidates discussed traffic issues within Pleasant Hill. If you agree there are traffic issues in our city what are the top 2-3 issues you would like to see addressed?

9. Smaller cities in CA are exploring how they can help mitigate climate change. What are a couple realistic ideas that a smaller city like PH can do to make an impact and/or engage citizens?

10. Sales tax is a primary revenue resource for Pleasant Hill. What are 2 or 3 ideas you have to share that you believe would positively impact our business community?

11. What is one organization or commission in Pleasant Hill you are most proud to be associated with and why?

12. What is your first priority as a Councilmember and why?

13. Can you tell me a time where you may of had a different view on a group topic and how did you overcome that? Or did the group end up following your opinion?

14. How is your relationship with other local elected officials and civic partner agencies? Can you give an example of something you have done to help build a relationship or foster the relationship for Pleasant Hill?

15. As a councilmember, there are a number of council subcommittees, community and regional boards and activities available for assignment. Which, if any, would you like to participate in? Please explain.

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Attachment: Questions for City Council Vacancy Interviews (City Council Interviews) Correspondence Regarding Filling the City Council Vacancy

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-3323 – (925) 671-5270 www.pleasanthillca.org

MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Harris and Councilmembers
FROM: Danielle K. Navarro, Principal Management Analyst/City Clerk DATE: December 5, 2022
SUBJECT: Correspondence for Item 11.1, Discuss the Method to Fill a Vacant City Councilmember Position
Attached, please find written public comment received for Item 11.1, Discuss the Method to Fill a Vacant City Councilmember Position, on tonight’s City Council agenda.

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Karen Yapp <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2022 11:26 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: Agenda Item 11.1 - Fill Vacant Council Position Dear Councilmembers,
On Monday you will discuss how to fill the Council position that will be vacated by Ken Carlson. The City Staff says you have 2 options: 1) hold a special election, and 2) appoint someone.

In 2011 we had this same situation. Council Member Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors and the City Council had to fill her vacated position. After discussion, the Council decided to offer the position to the person who had received the next most votes in the recent election. At the time the decision was fairly easy since the person with the next most votes was long time Councilmember Terri Williamson. And she had come in very close in the election.

I believe the best decision in this situation would be to hold a special election. While it is expensive, that is the price of appearing fair and objective to everyone. Hopefully, it could be done entirely by mail.

I suspect you will not want a special election because of the cost. In that case, I urge you to offer the position to Zhanna Thompson, who had the next most votes in November's election. You have precedent to do this.

If she is unable to accept the position, then I believe you have no choice but to have a special election.

Appointing someone else, even the person who came in fourth in the election, has the potential to appear unfair or one‐sided.

Thank you,
Karen Yapp
Pleasant Hill resident of 38 years

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Cynthia Tubbs <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2022 11:52 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: City Council seat available
Hello,
I am a 19 year resident of Pleasant Hill. Please appoint the person with the candidate with the next most votes, that is Ms. Thompson. We don't need a special election to figure out she is our choice.

Sincerely,
Cynthia Tubbs

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Tim Kang <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, December 3, 2022 1:02 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Council position
To whom it may concern:

I strongly believe the next candidate with the highest number of votes, Zhanna Thompson, should be appointed.

Sincerely,
Tim Kang
1777 Lucille Ln.

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Toni Nestore <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 7:19 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Council vacancy
I live in Pleasant Hill and I support Zhanna Thompson as our next city council member.

Thank you, Antoinette Nestore
Sent from Toni's I phone

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 7:59 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: Fill vacant city council position
Hello,
As a resident of Pleasant Hill, I feel that a good solution to fill the vacant city council  position is to choose Zhanna Thompson who had the next most votes from the election.

That would better represent the peoples will, not somebody's friend who we don't even know or spend money that we have already spent for an election that we don't need.

Regards,
David Book

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Elaine Hannah <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 8:54 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: Re: Filling vacant City Council seat I want to provide input as to the method by which our City Council fills the empty seat currently existing. I understand the council will act on Monday, so this communication being forwarded to all council members immediately is critical.

I recommend the sensible method of offering the seat to the person who recieved the next most votes in the recent election, Zhanna Thompson.

Any other method wouldn't reflect the input of the constituents and that is what is appropriate, in my opinion.

Sincerely,
Elaine Hannah

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Joann Jacobs <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 9:13 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: Filling the seat of Ken Carlson
Good Morning,
I would like to add my opinion that Zhanna Thompson be appointed to the Pleasant Hill City council. She would be a fresh perspective and a wonderful addition to our excellent leadership.

Sincerely,
Joann Jacobs

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Ena Silva <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 11:34 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Council vacancy
Please Appoint Zhanna Thompson to the vacant seat, in our city council. She was third place in the election and should fill it.
-Ena Silva
--
www.ziggyzagga.com

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Dick Offerman <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 1:53 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: Letter for the City Council, Dec. 5th, Item 11.1 I am writing to the Council to express my support for approving Zhanna Thompson as our newest member of the Pleasant Hill City Council. She has the next highest total of votes and clearly has the support of many Pleasant Hill voters.

When you discuss the method to fill the empty Council seat tonight, please note that there is a very clear precedent for selecting the new Member, based on the candidate with the next highest tally of votes. That process was used as recently as 2011 when Terri Wiliamson was approved for the Council seat vacated by Karen Mitchoff. The public was satisfied with that decision at that time.

When Councilmember Williamson resigned in June, 2012, the City Council left the position vacant until the next election, less than 6 months away.

No one wants to hear that some new application process is now being considered. That would be an insult to a candidate to worked hard to come in third out of six candidates. And with any appointment, the Council risks being considered biased.

Please approve Zhanna Thompson.

Regards,
Dick Offerman
2222 Heritage Hills Dr.

Pleasant Hill, CA

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: rosemarie nial <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 2:03 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: opinion about vacant position
i’d like to see the position filled by the candidate that received the 3rd most votes in the recent election. i do not want council to appoint the next person..
thanks.

Rosemarie Nial
221 Briaridge Ct
Sent from my iPad

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Bryan Thompson <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 2:06 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Agenda Item 11.1 Zhanna Thompson to fill Ken’s Vacancy Members of City Council,
I am writing in regards to agenda item 11.1, how to fill Ken Carlson’s vacant City Council seat.

I humbly ask, as a resident and voter in Pleasant Hill, that Zhanna Thompson be appointed to this vacancy.

Zhanna’s campaign was outspent by more than $9000 by established politicians already active in the city, yet she still earned the overwhelming support of more than 4300 voters in Pleasant Hill and won a very strong third place finish.

The voters of Pleasant Hill have clearly already made this decision for you. Zhanna Thompson is the rightful successor to Ken Carlson’s seat.

Thank you,
Resident of Pleasant Hill,
Bryan Thompson

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1 Danielle Navarro
From: jj poundnot.com <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 2:14 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: City council vacancy
Do not just appoint someone to a vacancy on the city council.  It appears we are still within the election cycle and I do not believe it is within the council’s power to appoint a new council member. Whatever the decision – please document the law or muni code used as justification.

Best regards
JJ Houston

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Michelle Simone <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 7:15 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Public Comment for Agenda Item 11.1
Mayor Harris, Vice Mayor Flaherty, and City Councilmembers, I appreciate all the work you have all done this year on behalf of the residents of Pleasant Hill. We are fortunate to have elected a dedicated group of leaders and I believe each of you know the importance of being chosen by the community to lead.

Our county is lucky to be gaining Councilmember Carlson and that leaves a Pleasant Hill councilmember spot open for another leader to join our Council. I believe the residents of our City should be the ones to choose our local representatives. The best way to do this is a well publicized local election.

The good news is, we just had one. Last month the residents of Pleasant Hill chose to re-elect Councilmember Sue Noack and elect Zac Shess as our representatives. The person who received the third highest number of votes was Zhanna Thompson with 4,308 votes (18.59%). The fourth highest candidate received a thousand fewer votes than Ms. Thompson. If there were three open spots last month, Ms. Thompson would have been elected into the seat.

If the results from the election in November aren't used to fill Councilmember Carlson's seat, the next best option is to hold a special election. A special election would be expensive for the City and the candidates. I don't think it's equitable to ask candidates to fund another campaign so soon and without major publicity I don't think it's reasonable to assume Pleasant Hill can get 64% (or more) of voter turnout for a special election, like we did for the November election.

Last month Pleasant Hill residents chose Zhanna Thompson as their third pick for City Council so I hope you decide to appoint her to the newly open spot on City Council.

Thank you,
Michelle Simone

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Anna Morozovsky <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 8:32 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: 3rd Open City Council Seat
Pleasant Hill City Council,
I hope this email finds you all well. It has recently come to my attention that there is now an additional open city council seat, just a couple weeks after the election. It seems like a perfect opportunity to appoint the 3rd highest vote getter (behind the two people who won their seats) - Zhanna Thompson. I hope the council follows the very recent will of the voters, given the opportunity that stands before them.

Thank you for all you do,
Anna Morozovsky
PH Resident

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Grant Gerlach <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, December 4, 2022 11:03 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: City council meeting 12/5/22 -item 11.1 I want to recommend that the city council vacancy by Ken Carlson be filled by the runner up council candidate with most votes in the last election, Zhanna Thompson.  There is precedence by the council in 2011 when they followed this process during a similar election related vacancy. Hosting another election to fill a 2 year vacancy will be expensive, will have low turnout and will likely result is the same candidate being chosen.

Grant Gerlach
Sent from my iPhone

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Jan Passion <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 7:35 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Please consider Zhana Thompson to fill the upcoming vacancy on the City Council!
Please consider Zhana Thompson to fill the upcoming vacancy on the City Council! She was clearly the voters choice.

Thanks so much,
Jan
--
______________________________________________________
Jan Passion
2230 Lisa Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Mobile: +1 925-303-3747
www.SailHokahey.com & www.JanPassion.org
[email protected] Skype: JanPassion

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Maureen Kyer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 8:14 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Fwd: Board of Supervisors District 4 Seat Begin forwarded message:

From: Maureen Kyer <[email protected]>
Subject: Board of Supervisors District 4 Seat
Date: December 4, 2022 at 2:17:44 PM PST
To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Hello,
Mr. Ken Carlson will likely be certified as the winner of the November 8th election for the District 4 seat on the Board of Supervisors. Had Mr. Carlson submitted his resignation beforehand, the third-place candidate would have been automatically elected to fill that position.

Ms. Zhanna Thompson earned third-place with 4308 votes. I voted for Ms. Thompson because of her common sense approach to public safety, pedestrian safety, infrastructure and, increasing access to mental health resources.

I respectfully request the appointment of Ms. Zhanna Thompson to the vacant position.

Thank you for your service to the citizens of Pleasant Hill.

Maureen Kyer
2913 Dorothy Drive
925.421.5191

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Larry Malin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 9:36 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Counsil
I vote Zhanna Thompson.

Larry Malin

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 10:31 AM
To: City Clerk
Subject: EXTERNAL: filling vacant council seat
Our preference is for PH to save money and appoint the runner‐up in the election, Zhanna Thompson, to fill the vacant seat!
Deborah & Joseph Santone
2963 Dorothy Drive, Pleasant Hill

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Susan HEDGPETH <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 11:54 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: public comment 11.1
Dear PH City Council,
I understand you are meeting tonight to discuss how to fill the seat left by Ken Carlson's election to supervisor. I would like to express my enthusiastic support for Zhanna Thompson who came in 3rd and deserves the seat vacated by Ken Carlson. I think she will be a great addition to our City Council. Thank you.

Susan Hedgpeth
2212 Lisa Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Susan HEDGPETH <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 11:54 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: public comment 11.1
Dear PH City Council,
I understand you are meeting tonight to discuss how to fill the seat left by Ken Carlson's election to supervisor. I would like to express my enthusiastic support for Zhanna Thompson who came in 3rd and deserves the seat vacated by Ken Carlson. I think she will be a great addition to our City Council. Thank you.

Susan Hedgpeth
2212 Lisa Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-3323 – (925) 671-5270 www.pleasanthillca.org

MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Harris and Councilmembers
FROM: Danielle K. Navarro, Principal Management Analyst/City Clerk DATE: December 5, 2022
SUBJECT: Correspondence for Item 11.1, Discuss the Method to Fill a Vacant City Councilmember Position
Attached, please find written public comment received for Item 11.1, Discuss the Method to Fill a Vacant City Councilmember Position, on tonight’s City Council agenda.

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1 Danielle Navarro
From: Sonia Silva <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 12:41 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Zhanna Thompson
Dear Council Members:

Please Appoint Zhanna Thompson to fill Ken Carlson’s soon to be city council vacated seat. As third place and next in line as city council candidate, this position should be filled by her.

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Kenji Yamada <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 1:14 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Council vacancy appointment
Dear City Clerk - Please enter this message into benched correspondence for tonight's Council meeting, item

11.1. Dear Councilmembers - For the vacancy opened by Councilmember Carlson's resignation, please appoint the top runner-up of the very recent election. I am a new PH resident, have just voted for PH City Council for the first time, and would appreciate this indicator of respect for the will of voters in this city.

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Marian Shostrom <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 1:43 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Vacancy on Pleasant Hill City Council Because Ken Carlson will be certified as the winner of the November 8th election for the District 4 seat on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, I urge you to appoint Zhanna Thompson to fill that position.

Although Ms.Thompson was a first-time candidate, she came in 3rd place, with 4,308 votes. If Ken Carlson had resigned his position before the election, there would have been three vacant positions, and Ms. Thompson would have won a seat on the Pleasant Hill City Council. She is the logical choice, based on the votes of Pleasant Hill residents.

Sincerely,
Marian Shostrom
2264 Lisa Ln
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
[email protected]

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: anna stahl <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 2:10 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Zhanna Thompson
Zhanna is the type of forward thinking, climate friendly advocate we need in Pleasant Hill. Please allow her to fill the vacancy left from Ken Carlson.

Best,
Anna Stahl
296 Lucinda Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Harry Baker <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 2:34 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: CITY COUNCIL SEAT
I urge you to appoint Zhanna Thompson to City Council
Ms.Thompson came in 3rd place. If Ken Carlson had resigned his position before the election, there would have been three vacant positions, and Ms. Thompson would have won a seat on the Pleasant Hill City Council. She is the logical choice, based on the votes of Pleasant Hill residents.

Harry Baker

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Ogie Strogatz <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 2:45 PM
To: City Council; Michael Harris; Tim Flaherty; Ken Carlson; Sue Noack; Matt Rinn Subject: EXTERNAL: Please appoint Zhanna Thompson to Pleasant Hill City Council Dear City Council,
I am writing to convey 350 Bay Area Action’s support for the appointment of Zhanna Thompson to fill the Pleasant Hill City Council seat to be vacated by Ken Carlson, following his having won the District 4 seat on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.
350 Bay Area Action endorsed Ms. Thompson in her November 8th run for the Pleasant Hill City Council, and we are proud to continue our support. We appreciate Zhanna's commitment to champion community‐ centered, forward‐thinking initiatives to help Pleasant Hill thrive, including understanding how local climate action can help ensure a healthy, sustainable Pleasant Hill.

We request your unanimous approval to appoint Zhanna Thompson to the Pleasant Hill City Council.

Respectfully,
Ogie Strogatz
for 350 Bay Area Action

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Robert Kattenburg <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 3:27 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: THE FIFTH PLEASANT HILL CITY COUNCIL MEMBER My name is Bob Kattenburg. My wife and I have lived in Pleasant Hill since late 1989…33 years. I’ve gotten to know 5 or 6 city council members over the years.

I’m writing on behalf of Zhanna Thompson.

The process of appointing a person to replace Supervisor-elect Ken Carlson is obviously political. And politics is sort of like sausage making…you don’t really want to know what goes into it. You folks on the City Council know what the main issue is currently confronting you (think the Mangini property).

Apparently, there are one or more of you who feel there is someone who is more suited to be appointed. Those members have to give Zhanna Thompson credit for having a brain… she’s a fast study. She’s achieved success in her chosen career.

Zhanna got 4,308 votes in the election less than 30 days ago! 3rd place! Not even close with respect to 4th place.

If you all are thinking about APPOINTING a 5th member to the City Council, that person should have been on the ballot so the voting citizens of Pleasant Hill would have had an opportunity to learn about that person’s qualifications! If the most important issue was knowledge about land use, the voting citizens should have been aware of that!
To me, it’s totally inappropriate to look for the 5th member for the Pleasant Hill City Council outside those people who chose to CAMPAIGN for a seat in the general election.

That person should be ZHANNA THOMPSON.

Thank you.

Bob Kattenburg
465 Boyd Road
Mobile: (510) 366-0687
[email protected]
Sent from my iPad

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Melody Thompson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 3:58 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Re. Agenda Item 11.1
Dear Pleasant Hill City Council Members,
I am writing in regards to Agenda Item 11.1.

As a longtime resident and a voter in Pleasant Hill, I am asking that Zhanna Thompson be appointed to the vacancy of Pleasant Hill City Council. The residents of Pleasant Hill have already voted and it is clear that Zhanna Thompson has won the support of over 4,000 Pleasant Hill voters.

Please consider her for this position.

Thank you,
Melody Thompson
Pleasant Hill Resident

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
Correspondence Received After the December 5, 2022 Meeting

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Tuesday, December 6, 2022 10:06 AM
To: Ken Carlson; Matt Rinn; Michael Harris; Sue Noack; Tim Flaherty Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Zhanna Thompson - Amanda Szakats
Mayor Harris and Councilmembers,
I will let Amanda know the outcome of last night’s meeting.

Danielle
From: Amanda Szakats <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, December 5, 2022 7:18 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Zhanna Thompson
Given that it is extremely likely that Ken will be certified as the winner of the November 8th election for the District 4 seat on the BOS, had he tendered his resignation beforehand, the third-place finisher would have been automatically elected to fill that position. Therefore, I support the appointment of Zhanna Thompson to this position.

Thank you.

Amanda Szakats

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-3323 – (925) 671-5270 www.pleasanthillca.org

MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers
FROM: Danielle K. Navarro, Principal Management Analyst/City Clerk DATE: January 9, 2023
SUBJECT: Written Correspondence Received for Item 9.1, Discuss the Appointment Process to Fill the Vacant City Councilmember Position and Provide Direction to Staff
Attached, please find correspondence received for public comment for item 9.1 for the January 9 3, 2023 regular City Council meeting.

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 11:22 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Item 9.1 Correspondence
Attachments: Item 9.1 Correspondence.pdf
Good morning,
The attached emails regarding Item 9.1, Discuss the Appointment Process to Fill the Vacant City Councilmember Position and Provide Direction to Staff, on tonight’s agenda were received after the agenda packet was published. They will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received and a few printed copies will be available to the public at the meeting.

Danielle

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1 Danielle Navarro
From: Courtney Coon <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2023 8:38 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: public comment for the city council meeting action item 9.1 In 2011, after Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the Pleasant Hill City Council filled her vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in that election. The filling of Ken Carlson's vacant seat should follow this precedent and the will of the voters in Pleasant Hill. In the November 8, 2022 election, Zhanna Thompson was the third-place choice of six candidates for Pleasant Hill City Council and she should take the vacant seat.

Thank you,
---
Courtney Coon, PhD
she/her
2246 Lisa Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: [email protected]
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2023 8:39 PM
To: June Catalano; Danielle Navarro; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette Subject: EXTERNAL: Online Form Submittal: Email the City Council If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Email the City Council
Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code Section 6250, et seq.)
Name:* courtney coon
Street
Address:*
2246 Lisa Lane
City* Pleasant Hill
Phone
Number:

Email:* [email protected]
Subject:* 1/9/23 city council meeting action item 9.1
Question
or
Comment:

In 2011, after Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the Pleasant Hill City Council filled her vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in that election. The filling of Ken Carlson's vacant seat should follow this precedent and the will of the voters in Pleasant Hill. In the November 8, 2022 election, Zhanna Thompson was the third-place choice of six candidates for Pleasant Hill City Council and she should take the vacant seat. Thank you, --- Courtney Coon, PhD she/her 2246 Lisa Lane Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Upload File
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View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=16678 The following form was submitted via your website: Email the City Council Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt.

Code Section 6250, et seq.):

Name:: courtney coon
Street Address:: 2246 Lisa Lane
City: Pleasant Hill
Phone Number::

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
2 Email:: [email protected]
Subject:: 1/9/23 city council meeting action item 9.1
Question or Comment:: In 2011, after Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the Pleasant Hill City Council filled her vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in that election. The filling of Ken Carlson's vacant seat should follow this precedent and the will of the voters in Pleasant Hill. In the November 8, 2022 election, Zhanna Thompson was the third-place choice of six candidates for Pleasant Hill City Council and she should take the vacant seat.

Thank you,
---
Courtney Coon, PhD
she/her
2246 Lisa Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Upload File Attachment here: No file was uploaded
Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 1/7/2023 8:38:36 PM
Submitted from IP Address: 24.7.103.75
Referrer Page: https://www.pleasanthillca.org/64/City-Council Form Address: http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Forms.aspx?FID=137

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Jan Passion <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 7, 2023 10:40 PM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Correspondence is for public comment at the Council meeting.

Dear PH City Council, The voters should decide who should represents them on the Pleasant Hill City Council.

In the November 8, 2022 election, Pleasant Hill voters made it clear that Zhanna Thompson was their thirdplace choice of six candidates to fill two seats on the Council. In 2011, after Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the Pleasant Hill City Council filled her vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in that election. I ask to you to to follow the same process, and recognize the will of the voters, by appointing the third-place candidate at the next City Council Meeting. Thank you, Jan Passion --
______________________________________________________
Jan Passion
2230 Lisa Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Mobile: +1 925-303-3747
www.SailHokahey.com & www.JanPassion.org
[email protected] Skype: JanPassion

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Jeff Macdonald <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 8, 2023 8:19 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: public comment for the city council meeting action item 9.1 In 2011, after Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the Pleasant Hill City Council filled her vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in that election. The filling of Ken Carlson's vacant seat should follow this precedent and the will of the voters in Pleasant Hill. In the November 8, 2022 election, Zhanna Thompson was the third-place choice of six candidates for Pleasant Hill City Council and she should take the vacant seat.

Thank you,
Jeff MacDonald

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Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 11:46 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: PROCESS FOR FILLING CITY COUNCIL SEAT - Kent Sack Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding Item 9.1, Discuss the Appointment Process to Fill the Vacant City Councilmember Position and Provide Direction to Staff, on tonight’s agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received and a few printed copies will be available to the public at the meeting.

Danielle
From: Kent L. Sack MD <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 11:31 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: PROCESS FOR FILLING CITY COUNCIL SEAT Dear Councilmembers:

I am a moderate progressive residing 2 houses from Pleasant Hill’s northwest border. I support the concept that each municipality’s actions determine the fabric of CCCo and the Bay Area.

I respect Zhanna Thompson’s views, but strongly disagree with her positions on health issues as abortion and same gender marriages. Ms. Thompson’s thinking on these important issues are regressive and adverse to our Bay Area’s future.

Therefore, I am a proponent of the application rather than the appointive process to full Pleasant Hill’s recently vacated City Council seat.

Thanks & b/well
Kent Sack MD
340 5th Ave
Pacheco, CA 94553
Sent from Mail for Windows

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Packet Pg. 92
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 12:24 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Regarding Item 9.1: Appointment Process to fill vacant Council Member Position - Karen Yapp
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding Item 9.1, Discuss the Appointment Process to Fill the Vacant City Councilmember Position and Provide Direction to Staff, on tonight’s agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received and a few printed copies will be available to the public at the meeting.

Danielle
From: Karen Yapp <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 9:42 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Regarding Item 9.1: Appointment Process to fill vacant Council Member Position Regarding Item 9.1: Appointment Process to fill vacant Council Member Position I strongly urge you to skip the “application” process and directly appoint the 3rd place candidate in the most recent election – Zhanna Thompson.

I do not know Ms. Thompson. I have never spoken to her. But I could tell from the candidate forum that she had spent considerable time studying the issues. She put her time and effort, and probably her own money, into running for City Council. Can you envision any adequate justification for passing over her and selecting someone else?
I looked at your sample “application”. What will that tell you? The reality is that you can’t select a person for this position based on a few questions and a one-hour interview. Just like any candidate, for any office, the public will see how they perform and will make the decision in the voting booth.

You can’t pick someone who did not run for election at all. As you all know, running a campaign is hard work.

It would be incredibly unfair to appoint someone who did not bother to run for election. If a person was not willing to put in that effort, they should not be on the Council.

You can’t skip the 3rd place candidate and appoint the 4th place. It is clear from the election results that more Pleasant Hill residents wanted someone new, with new ideas, and new perspectives. The 4th place candidate is in that position for a reason.

At the last meeting, Councilmember Harris gave a very misleading and inaccurate account of the last time a similar vacancy occurred. When Karen Mitchoff vacated her seat, the Council appointed the 3rd place candidate, Terri Williamson. Mr. Harris said, at the last meeting, that he was not in favor of this appointment at that time. And he said that councilmember “resigned shortly after” she was appointed.

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Packet Pg. 93
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
2 The facts are, 25+ year councilmember Terri Williamson came in a close 3rd, and was appointed back to the Council. She was clearly experienced and capable. However, about a year later she had a medical emergency (either a heart attack or a stroke; I can’t recall). She was no longer able to live on her own and had to sell her house and move near her daughter.

Something like this could happen to anyone. Ms. Williamson did not want to leave her seat or Pleasant Hill. But her health no longer allowed her to stay. For Mr. Harris to frame this as if she just up and quit is misleading and offensive to the memory of Ms. Williamson, a long time Pleasant Hill councilmember.

Ask yourself this. What possible answers to your application, or to your interview, could lead you to pick anyone but the 3rd place candidate? And how do you imagine you could justify that decision to the public? Please save everyone the agony and appoint Zhanna Thompson.

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Packet Pg. 94
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 12:27 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Vacant City Councilmember Position--January 9, 2023 Meeting - Marian Shostrom Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding Item 9.1, Discuss the Appointment Process to Fill the Vacant City Councilmember Position and Provide Direction to Staff, on tonight’s agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received and a few printed copies will be available to the public at the meeting.

Danielle
From: Marian Shostrom <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 8, 2023 1:16 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Vacant City Councilmember Position‐‐January 9, 2023 Meeting This correspondence is for public comment at the January 9, 2023 Council meeting.

Dear City Council Members,
I have lived in Pleasant Hill for 20+ years, followed local issues, and appreciate the important work done by the City Council.

Item 9.1 on the January 9, 2023 Agenda proposes an application process to the fill the seat vacated by Council Member Ken Carlson.

I believe that going through an application process would be wasteful of City Council and staff time and resources. We just had an election on November 8, 2023, and the results of that election made clear that the voters selected Zhanna Thompson as their third choice.

In 2011, after Pleasant Hill City Council member Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the City Council filled that vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in the November 2010 election, following the will of the voters. That made sense to me at the time, and it makes sense to me now.

I have not heard a good reason for the City Council to spend time and effort on an application process, rather than appointing the candidate chosen by Pleasant Hill voters. I hope to watch meetings with a full City Council of five members chosen by voters as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Marian Shostrom
2264 Lisa Ln
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

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Packet Pg. 95
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 3:05 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Appoint 3rd place candidate Zhanna Thompson to City Council! - Anne Greenblatt Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding Item 9.1, Discuss the Appointment Process to Fill the Vacant City Councilmember Position and Provide Direction to Staff, on tonight’s agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received and a few printed copies will be available to the public at the meeting.

Danielle
From: Anne Greenblatt <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 9, 2023 2:47 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Appoint 3rd place candidate Zhanna Thompson to City Council! Council members:

The voters should decide who should represent them on the Pleasant Hill City Council. In the November 8, 2022 election, Pleasant Hill voters made it clear that Zhanna Thompson was their third-place choice of six candidates to fill two seats on the Council. In 2011, after Karen Mitchoff was elected to the Board of Supervisors, the Pleasant Hill City Council filled her vacant position with the candidate who had the next highest number of votes in that election. The Council should follow the same process, and recognize the will of the voters, by appointing the third-place candidate Zhanna Thompson tonight! Anne Greenblatt
2236 Lisa Lane
Pleasant Hill
Sent from my iPhone

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Packet Pg. 96
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
Correspondence Received After the January 9, 2023 Meeting

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Packet Pg. 97
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Tim Flaherty <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2023 11:19 AM
To: Danielle Navarro; Juanita Davalos; June Catalano
Subject: Fwd: EXTERNAL: Fwd: 12/05/2022 Agenda Item 11.1 - Council Vacancy FYI
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jack Prosek <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Jan 9, 2023 at 8:58 PM
Subject: Re: EXTERNAL: Fwd: 12/05/2022 Agenda Item 11.1 - Council Vacancy To: Tim Flaherty <[email protected]>
Tim -
. . . . . . but I did not hear any acknowledgement of MY email during the City Council meeting this evening.

I would also point out that no mention was made of the positions taken by any of the writers on this issue . . . . .

I think that a summary of these points would be informative to all Members of the City Council as well as the rest of the Public who listened to or spoke at the meeting !! Jack Prosek
PH Resident / Homeowner
zz
On Mon, Jan 9, 2023 at 6:33 PM Tim Flaherty <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi Jack,
I am acknowledging receipt of you email below and your comments re the 12/5 meeting. I understand your position on filling the vacancy on the City council.

Tim
Timothy M. Flaherty
Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill
On Jan 7, 2023, at 2:08 PM, Jack Prosek <[email protected]> wrote:

Mayor Tim, Vice Mayor Matt & Council Member Sue -
Just in case my comments for the December 5th meeting don't get carried forward, I am resending my December 2nd email regarding the appointment to fill the now vacant seat on the City Council. This is for Item # 9.1 on the Agenda for the January 9th meeting of the Pleasant Hill City Council !!! From reading the Staff Report for this Item, it is now my understanding that the appointee would serve until after the results of the November 2024 election are certified.

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Packet Pg. 98
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
2 Jack Prosek
PH Resident / Homeowner
zz
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jack Prosek <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2022 at 2:51 PM
Subject: 12/05/2022 Agenda Item 11.1 - Council Vacancy
To: Michael Harris <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>, tim flaherty <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>, matt rinn <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>, Sue Noack <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>, ken carlson <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Mayor Harris & Council Members -
We note that Item 11.1 on the Agenda for the 12/05/2022 City Council meeting is a discussion of Methods to Fill a Vacant City Council Member Position.

These are my thoughts:

Call for a Special Election - this approach would be costly & I believe it is unnecessary given that the last election was only days ago.

Appointments - given that it is extremely likely that Ken will be certified as the winner of the November 8th election for the District 4 seat on the BOS, had he tendered his resignation beforehand, the third-place finisher would have been automatically elected to fill that position. Therefore, I support the appointment of Zhanna Thompson to this position.

To me, the only question would be whether her term would end following the Primary Election in the Spring of 2024 or the completion of the open term following the Presidential Election in November 2024.

The Voters have already spoken - respect their wishes !! Jack Prosek
PH Resident / Homeowner / Voter
zz

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Packet Pg. 99
Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2023 3:55 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Vacant City Council Member Position - League of Women Voters Attachments: SKM_C45823012316250.pdf
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The attached letter was sent to you from the League of Women Voters.

Danielle

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Packet Pg. 100 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

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Packet Pg. 101 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 9:34 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Selection of new Council member - Shirley Shelangoski From: shirley shelangoski <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 9:27 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Selection of new Council member
Dear City Council members,
This is Shirley Shelangoski, a 23 year resident of Pleasant Hill. Of course I am very interested in the selection of the new council member to replace the vacancy left by Ken Carlson.

I am asking for a transparent and fair selection process. I am respectfully requesting that all candidates under consideration are asked the exact same questions and that there is a transparent ranking system. The candidate who wins the appointment will be making decisions that affect our entire city. Ken will be a great loss to Pleasant Hill, but a great gain to our county on the Board of Supervisors .

Thank you for your attention to this very important matter.

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Packet Pg. 102 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 5:38 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Regarding Selection of New City Council Member - Nancy Hume From: Nancy Hume <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 3:59 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Regarding Selection of New City Council Member Dear Pleasant Hill City Council Members,
I have been a resident of Pleasant Hill for twelve years. I care deeply about our city, and with the vacancy left by Ken Carlson’s departure, a new member will be selected, the process of which is of great concern to me.

I feel it is imperative that all candidates under consideration be treated exactly the same, given the same questions and interviewed in exactly the same way. I also request that this process, as well as the ranking system, be made transparent. We need a completely fair, unbiased process that is accessible to city residents, as well as to all applicants.

The person who fills this position will undoubtedly be making crucial decisions that affect our city, so how this person is selected is of the greatest importance.

I will appreciate your consideration of my concerns and look forward to learning how our new City Council member will be selected.

I’m sorry to see Ken Carlson leave the City Council, but gratified he will be on the county’s Board of Supervisors. I hope we will gain a new member who will serve as Ken did, with integrity, and real care for all residents of Pleasant Hill.

Best regards,
Nancy Hume
35 Reading Way
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: shirley shelangoski <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>

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Packet Pg. 103 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 09:26:46 AM PST
Subject: Selection of new Council member
Dear City Council members,
This is Shirley Shelangoski, a 23 year resident of Pleasant Hill. Of course I am very interested in the selection of the new council member to replace the vacancy left by Ken Carlson.

I am asking for a transparent and fair selection process. I am respectfully requesting that all candidates under consideration are asked the exact same questions and that there is a transparent ranking system. The candidate who wins the appointment will be making decisions that affect our entire city. Ken will be a great loss to Pleasant Hill, but a great gain to our county on the Board of Supervisors .

Thank you for your attention to this very important matter.

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Packet Pg. 104 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-3323 – (925) 671-5270 www.pleasanthillca.org

MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers
FROM: Danielle K. Navarro, Principal Management Analyst/City Clerk DATE: January 30, 2023
SUBJECT: Written Correspondence Received for Item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy
Attached, please find correspondence received for public comment for item 4.1 for the January 30, 2023 special City Council meeting.

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Packet Pg. 106 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 9:13 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Sue Noack; Zac Shess
Cc: Tim Flaherty; June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Item 4.1 - Special City Council Meeting - 1/30/2023 Vice Mayor Rinn and Councilmembers,
Mayor Flaherty received the email below regarding item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s special meeting agenda. It will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received.

Danielle
From: Tim Flaherty <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2023 1:44 PM
To: Danielle Navarro <[email protected]>; Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>; June Catalano <[email protected]>
Subject: Fwd: EXTERNAL: Item 4.1 ‐ Special City Council Meeting ‐ 1/30/2023 Pls distribute
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jack Prosek <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Jan 28, 2023 at 11:34 AM
Subject: EXTERNAL: Item 4.1 - Special City Council Meeting - 1/30/2023 To: tim flaherty <[email protected]>
Mayor Flaherty -
Yesterday morning I stumbled across the City Meetings Calendar to find that a Special Meeting of the City Council had been scheduled for 7:00 PM on Monday January 30th. By around 6:00 PM Friday, the Agenda & related documents were posted on the City's website - GOOD, because that is one full business day before the Special Meeting. Other Notices soon followed to residents on various email lists & websites ! The whole purpose of this meeting is covered under Agenda Item 4.1 - to determine the process to fill the vacancy on the City Council due to the belated resignation of former Councilman Ken Carlson.

Since it would not be practical to do a complete interview of all ELEVEN Applicants, it seems to me that the best approach at this point would be one similar to what was used by the PH Recreation & Park District to appoint Zac Shess to their Board of Directors: that is, to have each of the four Council Members to announce their top four choices after having read all the Applications. From that straw poll, the Council could then determine who the top 4 or 5 contenders are.

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Packet Pg. 107 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 Since the Voters last November decided that Zhanna Thompson was their next choice after Council Members Noack & Shess, she should automatically be included in the top five !!!!! I have not personally met any of the Applicants, but Allen Vinson & Chris Tipton are familiar names from their long history of community service in Pleasant Hill, so I would expect to see both of them included. For a first cut, I would be inclined to exclude anyone who has not lived in the local area for at least say five years as they have had little exposure to what makes Pleasant Hill a special place to live as well as the unique challenges that lie ahead in the next few years.

Those are my thoughts . . . . . to be shared with the other Council Members AND the PUBLIC at this meeting !!!
Jack Prosek
PH Resident / Homeowner / VOTER
zz

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Packet Pg. 108 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 9:42 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Comment for Jan 30 City Council meeting - Denise Gudzikowski Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s special meeting agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received.

Danielle
From: Denise Gudzikowski <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2023 3:15 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Comment for Jan 30 City Council meeting City Council members –
I am writing to urge the City Council fill the open council seat with the 3rd place candidate from the election that was held just 11 weeks ago.  That candidate is Zhanna Thompson.  She won 3rd place by a large margin, far ahead of the other candidates.  There’s no reason to expect that the will of the people has changed in less than 3 months.

Given the precedent for this situation (back in 2011), there should be no need to have a special election to appoint her as a council member.  It would certainly smack of unfairness and show the City Council to be out of step with the will of the voters of Pleasant Hill.

We don’t have money to waste in Pleasant Hill, especially with the need to fix pot holes from the recent storms, improve pedestrian safety and deal with many more priorities.   A special election would surely be a money waster.

Please appoint Zhanna Thompson.

Thanks, Denise Gudzikowski (27 year PH resident)
14  Fairfax Court
Pleasant Hill, CA

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Packet Pg. 109 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 11:02 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Appointment to the City Council vacancy - Wendy Gollop Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s special meeting agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received.

Danielle
From: Wendy Gollop <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 10:33 AM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Appointment to the City Council vacancy Dear City Council
I wanted to comment on the selection process for the vacant city council seat.

I reviewed the submitted resumes of the applicants for the City Council position. All of them looked like well qualified individuals capable of doing the job. But a big question that I have is, are these applicants interviewing for a City Council JOB, or are they interviewing for a position to REPRESENT the citizens of Pleasant Hill? I would like to know HOW they stand on the issues facing the citizens of Pleasant Hill. A job resume does not tell me that. I want to know what a candidate thinks about climate change, parking and traffic issues, development, air pollution, creeks and open space, and how they plan to listen to the public's concerns, etc. There have been no debates or interviews about these subjects. By the City Council appointing someone on this list, I will not be able to have a say as to whether this applicant will represent my views on the Council. I want to know why some of these applicants did not run for the City council last summer. These applicants have not interacted with the community to ask us for our vote, so how can we be assured that they will represent our interests and not those of the City Council that appointed them? Can or will these questions be answered before an appointment is made? I think that the only democratic way to fill this vacancy is to either hold a new election or appoint the third place vote winner. That is the only way that the citizens of Pleasant Hill will have a voice in filling this vacancy.

Thank you.

Wendy Gollop

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Packet Pg. 110 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 2:23 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Filling City Council Vacancy - Robert Kattenburg Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s special meeting agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received.

Danielle
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 2:01 PM
To: June Catalano <[email protected]>; Danielle Navarro <[email protected]>; Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>; Geoff Gillette <[email protected]> Subject: EXTERNAL: Online Form Submittal: Email the City Council If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Email the City Council
Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code Section 6250, et seq.)
Name:* Robert Kattenburg
Street
Address:*
465 Boyd Road
City* Pleasant Hill
Phone
Number:

Email:* [email protected]
Subject:* Filling City Council Vacancy `
Question
or
Comment:

Monday, January 30, 2023 Mayor Flaherty and members of the City Council - Just a few days ago, I was made aware that there will be a special City Council meeting tonight to discuss how to determine the process of evaluating the eleven “qualified” applicants to fill the Council vacancy.

The eleven applicants may be eligible, however, it’s my feeling they aren’t all qualified. It is my opinion that it would have been easiest and simplest to simply appoint the candidate who came in third in the November 8, 2022 election. The voters of Pleasant Hill made their choices known. The candidates and the potential voters had a good and valid opportunity to engage in a healthy give and take as the candidates and their volunteers canvassed to many neighborhoods of Pleasant Hill.

This is typically how normal campaigns are run. The candidate who came in a very solid third place would have been the obvious choice. That person is Zhanna Thompson. There is solid precedent for that approach dating back to 2011, when Terri Williamson was appointed to fill the Council seat vacated by Karen Mitchoff, who won election to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

Granted, the circumstances were a little different, nonetheless, Terri was the person who got the next most votes. And on November 8, 2022, Zhanna got the next most votes. Optics are important, and to have chosen a much more lengthy, complicated, and arguably less transparent approach, can lead one to the potential conclusion that the much simpler path might have led to a result that

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Packet Pg. 111 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 some or all of the seated Council members didn’t want. So, now you have eleven applicants, who had to spend hours putting together all the paperwork. I applaud them all for having the desire to help shape policy going forward for Pleasant Hill governance. I don’t envy you the task of interviewing and evaluating all of them. Therefore, I offer some suggestions: Limit the interview opportunities only to those who have resided in Pleasant Hill for at least five (5) years. That would give interested parties an opportunity to learn the issues facing our city. Granted, there are several people with very impressive resumés, but that alone does not make them qualified. Limit the number of applicants to be interviewed and evaluated to no more than four (4) or five (5). Inasmuch as Zhanna Thompson was the third-largest vote getter in the November election, she should be an automatic choice for the interview/evaluation process. That will improve the optics somewhat.

Obviously, I feel she is the best qualified to fill the vacancy. Zhanna is eager to get to work with the rest of you to help shape Pleasant Hill policy. Allen Vinson and Chris Tipton are residents who have been around a good number of years and have been involved in the city. Both David Field and Stephen Zalewski have lived here for at least twenty years. Clearly, Hussein Attarwala and Darien Key are very recent residents of Pleasant Hill. Some of the other applicants have not been specific as to how long they’ve resided here. In closing, let me say that I strongly feel that there is a need for an other qualified feminine point of view on the five-seat City Council. Last November, there were 4,308 Pleasant Hill residents who felt the same way. Thanks for reading this. I’d like my thoughts to be known by all four sedated council members as well as the residents attending tonight’s special meeting. Robert Kattenburg 465 Boyd Road Upload File
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http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=16702 The following form was submitted via your website: Email the City Council Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt.

Code Section 6250, et seq.):

Name:: Robert Kattenburg
Street Address:: 465 Boyd Road
City: Pleasant Hill
Phone Number::

Email:: [email protected]
Subject:: Filling City Council Vacancy `
Question or Comment:: Monday, January 30, 2023
Mayor Flaherty and members of the City Council -
Just a few days ago, I was made aware that there will be a special City Council meeting tonight to discuss how to determine the process of evaluating the eleven “qualified” applicants to fill the Council vacancy. The eleven

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 112 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 3 applicants may be eligible, however, it’s my feeling they aren’t all qualified.

It is my opinion that it would have been easiest and simplest to simply appoint the candidate who came in third in the November 8, 2022 election. The voters of Pleasant Hill made their choices known. The candidates and the potential voters had a good and valid opportunity to engage in a healthy give and take as the candidates and their volunteers canvassed to many neighborhoods of Pleasant Hill. This is typically how normal campaigns are run. The candidate who came in a very solid third place would have been the obvious choice. That person is Zhanna Thompson. There is solid precedent for that approach dating back to 2011, when Terri Williamson was appointed to fill the Council seat vacated by Karen Mitchoff, who won election to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. Granted, the circumstances were a little different, nonetheless, Terri was the person who got the next most votes. And on November 8, 2022, Zhanna got the next most votes.

Optics are important, and to have chosen a much more lengthy, complicated, and arguably less transparent approach, can lead one to the potential conclusion that the much simpler path might have led to a result that some or all of the seated Council members didn’t want.

So, now you have eleven applicants, who had to spend hours putting together all the paperwork. I applaud them all for having the desire to help shape policy going forward for Pleasant Hill governance. I don’t envy you the task of interviewing and evaluating all of them.

Therefore, I offer some suggestions:

Limit the interview opportunities only to those who have resided in Pleasant Hill for at least five (5) years. That would give interested parties an opportunity to learn the issues facing our city. Granted, there are several people with very impressive resumés, but that alone does not make them qualified.

Limit the number of applicants to be interviewed and evaluated to no more than four (4) or five (5).

Inasmuch as Zhanna Thompson was the third-largest vote getter in the November election, she should be an automatic choice for the interview/evaluation process. That will improve the optics somewhat. Obviously, I feel she is the best qualified to fill the vacancy. Zhanna is eager to get to work with the rest of you to help shape Pleasant Hill policy.

Allen Vinson and Chris Tipton are residents who have been around a good number of years and have been involved in the city. Both David Field and Stephen Zalewski have lived here for at least twenty years.

Clearly, Hussein Attarwala and Darien Key are very recent residents of Pleasant Hill. Some of the other applicants have not been specific as to how long they’ve resided here.

In closing, let me say that I strongly feel that there is a need for an other qualified feminine point of view on the five-seat City Council. Last November, there were 4,308 Pleasant Hill residents who felt the same way.

Thanks for reading this. I’d like my thoughts to be known by all four sedated council members as well as the residents attending tonight’s special meeting.

Robert Kattenburg
465 Boyd Road
Upload File Attachment here: No file was uploaded
Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 1/30/2023 2:01:07 PM

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Packet Pg. 113 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 4 Submitted from IP Address: 73.202.89.65
Referrer Page: https://www.pleasanthillca.org/582/Contact-City-Council-Staff Form Address: http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Forms.aspx?FID=137

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Packet Pg. 114 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 3:08 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Filling vacancy on City Council - Robert Kattenburg From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 2:45 PM
To: June Catalano <[email protected]>; Danielle Navarro <[email protected]>; Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>; Geoff Gillette <[email protected]> Subject: EXTERNAL: Online Form Submittal: Email the City Council If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Email the City Council
Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code Section 6250, et seq.)
Name:* Robert Kattenburg
Street Address:* 465 Boyd Road
City* Pleasant Hill
Phone Number:

Email:* [email protected]
Subject:* Filling vacancy on City Council
Question or Comment: Oops! Correction: In last sentence, meant to say “seated” NOT “sedated.” LOL Upload File Attachment here [ ]

* indicates required fields.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=16703 The following form was submitted via your website: Email the City Council Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt.

Code Section 6250, et seq.):

Name:: Robert Kattenburg
Street Address:: 465 Boyd Road
City: Pleasant Hill

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 115 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 Phone Number::

Email:: [email protected]
Subject:: Filling vacancy on City Council
Question or Comment:: Oops! Correction: In last sentence, meant to say “seated” NOT “sedated.” LOL Upload File Attachment here: No file was uploaded
Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 1/30/2023 2:44:37 PM
Submitted from IP Address: 73.202.89.65
Referrer Page: https://www.pleasanthillca.org/582/Contact-City-Council-Staff Form Address: http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Forms.aspx?FID=137

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 116 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 3:12 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy - Jim Bonato Attachments: SKM_80823013014490.pdf
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The attached hand-delivered letter regarding item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s special meeting agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received.

Danielle

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Packet Pg. 117 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) Council Members
City of Pleasant Hill
100 Gregory Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Dear Council Members,
James J. Bonato
767 West Boyd Road
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
January 30, 2023
Without any reservation, I recommend that you select Allen Vinson to fill the City Council seat vacated due to the successful election of past council member Ken Carlson as our new County Supervisor representative.

Allen has demonstrated a wide reaching continuous commitment to the Pleasant Hill community over the past 15 years.

Allen joined the Pleasant Hill Fourth of July Commission in 2008 and took over the role of managing the Firecracker SK Fun Run which attracts runners, joggers, and walkers with participation fees being donated to Pleasant Hill schools ... averaging over $10,000 per year. When I stepped down as President in 2012, Allen eagerly stepped up to the plate to lead the Commission and continued to increase the fun, impact, and inclusiveness of this annual event.

In 2009, Allen volunteered and trained as a member of Pleasant Hill's Community Emergency Response Team ... committing to respond to assist neighbors and Pleasant Hill residents should a major earthquake or other emergency befall our community.

Allen was appointed to the Pleasant Hill Planning Commission by the City Council six years ago and has served as its Chair for one year. This experience has enabled Allen to get a firm understanding of the City's ordinances. When facing applications for ordinance variances by residents, this knowledge, awareness of past decisions, and his critical analysis of the issue enable him to arrive at a fair opinion.

His attentiveness to other Commissioner opinions and his collaborative skills enable the Commission to reach a decision that is fair ... both to the applicant and to the City. His positions on matters discussed are transparent to all through the public meeting process ... whether in-person, on Zoom, or in minutes of the meetings.

As a member of.the City's General Plan Advisory Committee, and as a member of the Planning Commission, Allen has provided key input to the City's 2040 General Plan - a requisite and fundamental long range plan providing vision for the future of our community and establishing guidelines for decision making as Pleasant Hill progresses, evolves, and adapts to new developments and city improvements.

As a fellow member of the Rotary Club of Pleasant Hill, I am aware of his key contributions as membership chair where he focuses on inclusiveness and as successfully leading the club as past President.

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Packet Pg. 118 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) Allen's experience as a successful attorney representing many diversified school districts in California demonstrate his ability to provide clear guidance, listen to opposing views, collaborate with the District and teachers' unions ... and guide them to fair solutions.

As noted above, Allen has demonstrated key traits important to a perspective member of our City Council. His volunteerism, as noted on his application, shows his far reaching participation in the community. His knowledge of our City's ordinances and it's General Plan provide a firm foundation of the city's past, present, and future. His transparency with his views and his resulting opinions on the Planning Commission reflect his transparency and attentiveness to following "the rule of law' in addition to his willingness to collaborate and reach consensus with his fellow Commissioners.

In closing, I would like to draw an analogy of runners in a relay race. Once handed the baton, Allen will finish the race with the same skills possessed by his teammates. Once selected to fill the vacant City Council seat, Allen has the civic and community awareness and the requisite skills to make an immediate impact. His leadership, management skills, experience, and commitment to our community rise above those of his fellow applicants.

Respectfully,
iltv\~
L}Bonato

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Packet Pg. 119 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 3:25 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Selection of new City Council seat going forward - Lorna Wallace Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding item 4.1, Determine the Appointment Process to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s special meeting agenda will be referenced for the public at tonight’s meeting as having been received.

Danielle
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2023 3:19 PM
To: June Catalano <[email protected]>; Danielle Navarro <[email protected]>; Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>; Geoff Gillette <[email protected]> Subject: EXTERNAL: Online Form Submittal: Email the City Council If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Email the City Council
Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code Section 6250, et seq.)
Name:* Lorna Wallace
Street
Address:*
230 Jeanne
City* Pleasant Hill
Phone
Number:

Email:* [email protected]
Subject:* Selection of new City Council seat going forward Question
or
Comment:

I believe that Zhanna Thompson deserves to be selected as the next City Council member. It would have been much less complicated, with less use of staff time and expense, to have selected her weeks ago. If cost had been the most important issue for the choice (that is now in your hands), picking the 3rd place candidate as soon possible, according to the rules, would have been the best choice. Then I heard that you as a body had proclaimed that there was no precedent for this happening in Pleasant Hill. I heard the comment from a MDLWD member while watching the Council recorded meeting. The League of Women Voters had concluded that since Councilwoman Mitchoff had done this previously, there was a precedent in Pleasant Hill. The City's posted messages protesting that there was no precedent for doing this sounds like a mistaken conclusion.

Then the City statement/bulletin a few days later stated there were only TWO ways for the city to move forward and "There are no other options". It sounded a little strident to stifle any discussion on the issue, possibly. Thank you for all the time and hard work you do for the sake of the city. Yet I think our city needs some new blood, new ideas, & younger minds to mix in the long term members Upload File
Attachment
here
[ ]

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 120 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 * indicates required fields.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://pleasanthillca.org/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=16704 The following form was submitted via your website: Email the City Council Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt.

Code Section 6250, et seq.):

Name:: Lorna Wallace
Street Address:: 230 Jeanne
City: Pleasant Hill
Phone Number::

Email:: [email protected]
Subject:: Selection of new City Council seat going forward Question or Comment:: I believe that Zhanna Thompson deserves to be selected as the next City Council member. It would have been much less complicated, with less use of staff time and expense, to have selected her weeks ago. If cost had been the most important issue for the choice (that is now in your hands), picking the 3rd place candidate as soon possible, according to the rules, would have been the best choice.

Then I heard that you as a body had proclaimed that there was no precedent for this happening in Pleasant Hill.

I heard the comment from a MDLWD member while watching the Council recorded meeting. The League of Women Voters had concluded that since Councilwoman Mitchoff had done this previously, there was a precedent in Pleasant Hill. The City's posted messages protesting that there was no precedent for doing this sounds like a mistaken conclusion.

Then the City statement/bulletin a few days later stated there were only TWO ways for the city to move forward and "There are no other options". It sounded a little strident to stifle any discussion on the issue, possibly.

Thank you for all the time and hard work you do for the sake of the city. Yet I think our city needs some new blood, new ideas, & younger minds to mix in the long term members Upload File Attachment here: No file was uploaded
Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 1/30/2023 3:19:05 PM
Submitted from IP Address: 73.202.145.242
Referrer Page: No Referrer - Direct Link
Form Address: http://pleasanthillca.org/Forms.aspx?FID=137

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 121 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-3323 – (925) 671-5270 www.pleasanthillca.org

MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers
FROM: Danielle K. Navarro, Principal Management Analyst/City Clerk DATE: February 6, 2023
SUBJECT: Written Correspondence Received for Item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy Attached, please find correspondence received for public comment for item 9.1 for the February 6, 2023 City Council meeting.

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Packet Pg. 122 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) This page left intentionally blank

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Packet Pg. 123 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 9:32 AM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: City Council Vacancy Appointment - Daniel Rodriguez Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding agenda item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on the Feb. 6th agenda will be reported at the meeting for the public as having been received.

Danielle
From: Daniel Rodriguez <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 9:21 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Council Vacancy Appointment
Councilmembers,
My name is Daniel Rodriguez. I’m a Pleasant Hill resident and registered voter. Please consider this e‐mail as my formal written comment on the matter of Agenda Item 9.1: City Council Vacancy:

Per Special Meeting held on 1.30.23, the City indicated that 11 applicants applied for the vacant City Council seat. Of the 11, only 2 applicants were on the 2022 ballot for the two City Council openings: Zhanna Thompson and Andrei Obolenskiy. The Official Ballot Results from the Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder indicate that Sue Noack received 6,732 votes, Zac Shess received 5,917 votes, Zhanna Thompson received 4,308 votes and Andrei Obolenskiy received 1,117 votes.

The City of Pleasant Hill Organization Chart illustrates that the City Council works for the Citizens of the City of Pleasant Hill. As such, the Citizens of Pleasant Hill made their voice heard by voting for Zhanna Thompson 4,308 times in the 2022 City Council race – third overall. Therefore, to consider anyone else, including Andrei Obolenskiy, would go against the will of the Citizens of Pleasant Hill – for whom the City Council works for. As such, as Zhanna Thompson has applied for the vacant opening once again, indicating that she is willing to make personal sacrifices for the betterment of the City of Pleasant Hill – it is the Council’s obligation to include her in the interview process, and to select her for the vacant seat.

The City of Pleasant Hill is made up of a diverse population, and the City Council needs to reflect that diversity. Zhanna represents a voice for the underrepresented, and for the people who will be living in Pleasant Hill and raising their families decades from now. Therefore, it is essential for City Council to have representation from a strong female leader who can speak for the new generation of Pleasant Hill residents.

The people of Pleasant Hill have made it clear: it is the Council’s duty to select Zhanna Thompson for the City Council opening.

Thank you for your time,

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Packet Pg. 124 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 Daniel Rodriguez
Area Manager
M: (925) 766-4337
O: (925) 446-6033
Connect on LinkedIn
www.baycities.us

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 125 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Juanita Davalos
From: Juanita Davalos
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 8:44 AM
To: Tim Flaherty; Matt Rinn; Sue Noack; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Danielle Navarro; Geoff Gillette
Subject: FW: EXTERNAL: Zhanna Thompson
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding agenda item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s Council agenda will be reported at the meeting for the public as having been received.

Juanita
From: Torin Davis <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 3:16 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Zhanna Thompson
Hi my name is Torin Davis from local iron workers union 378 and I live in Pleasant Hill and I support Zhanna Thompsom
Sent from my iPhone

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 126 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Juanita Davalos
From: Juanita Davalos
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 8:45 AM
To: Tim Flaherty; Matt Rinn; Sue Noack; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Danielle Navarro; Geoff Gillette
Subject: FW: EXTERNAL: City Candidate Support
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding agenda item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s Council agenda will be reported at the meeting for the public as having been received.

Juanita
-----Original Message-----
From: Jose Medina <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 4:31 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Candidate Support
To whom it may concern: My name is Jose Medina and I have lived in Pleasant Hill since 2006, I am giving my support for the position to Zhanna Thompson. Thank you very much.

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 127 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Juanita Davalos
From: Juanita Davalos
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 8:50 AM
To: June Catalano; [email protected]; Matt Rinn; Zac Shess; Sue Noack_Outlook Cc: Danielle Navarro; Janet Coleson_Law
Subject: RE: EXTERNAL: Fw: Pleasant Hill City Council
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below forwarded by June regarding agenda item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s Council agenda will be reported at the meeting for the public as having been received.

Juanita
-----Original Message-----
From: June Catalano <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2023 12:58 PM
To: [email protected]; Matt Rinn <[email protected]>; Zac Shess <[email protected]>; Sue Noack_Outlook <[email protected]>
Cc: Danielle Navarro <[email protected]>; Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>; Janet Coleson_Law <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: EXTERNAL: Fw: Pleasant Hill City Council
Good afternoon. This came directly to me, so I'm forwarding it to you. ________________________________________
From: Jim Guess [[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, February 04, 2023 10:31 AM
To: City Council
Subject: EXTERNAL: Fw: Pleasant Hill City Council
I support Zhanna Thompson.

Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPhone<https://more.att.com/currently/imap> Begin forwarded message:

On Friday, February 3, 2023, 2:55 PM, Kenneth Miller <[email protected]> wrote:

Good afternoon Brothers and Sisters. We have a situation brewing in Pleasant Hill at the City council. There is currently a vacancy to be filled and we are hoping to fill that vacancy with a labor friendly candidate.

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 128 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 At Monday's February 6th Pleasant Hill City Council Meeting the City Council will decide which five applicants from the pool of eleven applicants will be chosen to be interviewed at the February 27th meeting. At that same meeting on the 27th the City Council, after interviewing the five applicants, will choose which person will be selected to fill the Council seat vacated by Ken Carlson.

Zhanna Thompson, who was endorsed by the CCBCTC and who also finished third in the recent two seat election, is one of the eleven applicants. The City Council has indicated that they are primarily interested in hearing from Pleasant Hill residents regarding who should be in the final pool of five interviewees.

I’m reaching out to all our members that live in Pleasant Hill and ask them to send in an email of support for Zhanna by no later than 4:00 PM on Monday February 6th.

The email address that the letters of support should be sent to is:
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> The emails should reference item 9.1 on the City Councils Agenda (see attached).

Let’s do what we can to get a friendly voice on the Pleasant Hill City Council. Any questions please contact me.

Thank you for your assistance,
Ken
[Inline image]

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 129 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 3 Ken Miller
Business Agent/Organizer
Iron workers Local 378
3120 Bayshore Rd
Benicia, CA 94510
o 707.746.6100
c 707.704.8011

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 130 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Juanita Davalos
From: Juanita Davalos
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 8:52 AM
To: Tim Flaherty; Matt Rinn; Sue Noack; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Danielle Navarro; Geoff Gillette
Subject: FW: EXTERNAL: Item 9.1
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding agenda item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s Council agenda will be reported at the meeting for the public as having been received.

Juanita
-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Duskin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 7:12 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: Item 9.1
I am a local resident and I support Zhanna Thompson.

Sent from my iPhone

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 131 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Juanita Davalos
From: Juanita Davalos
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 3:09 PM
To: Tim Flaherty; Matt Rinn; Sue Noack; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Danielle Navarro; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: selection of 5th city councilmember - Bennett Berke Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
The email below regarding agenda item 9.1, Determine the Interview Pool, Questions, Format, and Date to Fill the City Council Vacancy, on tonight’s Council agenda will be reported at the meeting for the public as having been received.

Juanita
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2023 3:06 PM
To: June Catalano <[email protected]>; Danielle Navarro <[email protected]>; Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>; Geoff Gillette <[email protected]> Subject: EXTERNAL: Online Form Submittal: Email the City Council If you are having problems viewing this HTML email, click to view a Text version.

Email the City Council
Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code Section 6250, et seq.)
Name:* Bennett Berke
Street
Address:*
230 Jeanne Drive
City* Pleasant Hill
Phone
Number:
925 682-8584
Email:* [email protected]
Subject:* selection of 5th city council member
Question
or
Comment:

As a city resident, I would like to encourage the council members to pick Zhanna Thompson to join them. Zhanna put her to the voters, and did well. I agree with many of her ideas and priorities for the city. She deserves to be considered for the position for which she competed.

Upload File
Attachment
here
[ ]

* indicates required fields.

View any uploaded files by signing in and then proceeding to the link below:
http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Admin/FormHistory.aspx?SID=16714

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 132 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 2 The following form was submitted via your website: Email the City Council Please note that all emails submitted through this website will be shared with all Councilmembers and certain City staff members. These emails are considered public records under the California Public Records Act (Govt.

Code Section 6250, et seq.):

Name:: Bennett Berke
Street Address:: 230 Jeanne Drive
City: Pleasant Hill
Phone Number:: 925 682-8584
Email:: [email protected]
Subject:: selection of 5th city council member
Question or Comment:: As a city resident, I would like to encourage the council members to pick Zhanna Thompson to join them. Zhanna put her to the voters, and did well. I agree with many of her ideas and priorities for the city. She deserves to be considered for the position for which she competed.

Upload File Attachment here: No file was uploaded
Additional Information:

Form submitted on: 2/6/2023 3:05:35 PM
Submitted from IP Address: 73.202.145.242
Referrer Page: https://www.pleasanthillca.org/64/City-Council Form Address: http://www.pleasanthillca.org/Forms.aspx?FID=137

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 133 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) Correspondence Received After the February 6, 2023 Meeting

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 134 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Juanita Davalos
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 8:59 AM
To: CityCouncilPH
Cc: June Catalano; Danielle Navarro; Geoff Gillette
Subject: FW: EXTERNAL: For Consideration of Allen Vinson Re: Open Council Seat Attachments: Allen Vinson.1.docx
From: Mike Maxwell <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2023 4:05 PM
To: Juanita Davalos <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: For Consideration of Allen Vinson Re: Open Council Seat Please add this letter of support for Allen Vinson for the open City Council seat.

Thank You,
Mike Maxwell
Trustee – Area 4
Vice President; 2023
Past President; 2017, 2019
Contra Costa County Board of Education
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Packet Pg. 135 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

Pleasant Hill City Council                February 6, 2023 City of Pleasant Hill
100 Gregory Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Re: Candidate for Vacancy, Allen Vinson
Councilmembers,
It is with a great amount of pride that I write to you and wholeheartedly endorse Allen Vinson for the open City Council seat. Allen has been a proud citizen of Pleasant Hill for many years, and has always put the needs of the City first! As a Rotarian, he has served as Club president, as well as many chair positions, all focused on improving our club that returns that strength back to the City of Pleasant Hill. Allen proudly serves on the ARC, and continues to focus on what is best, and most fair, for the citizens and business community of greater Pleasant Hill.

I have been fortunate to work with Allen on many projects, and he never ceases to amaze. One of his favorites, ironically, is the Lion’s Crab Feed. Every year, Allen organizes our club to support the Lion’s, and gets more than 50 Rotarians and their friends to attend and buy tables – more Rotarians than Lions! Our service clubs work well together, and Allen embodies that spirit of “what is best for the community” always. Further, I also enjoyed serving on the Board of managers of the Pleasant Hill YMCA with Allen.

I know he would serve well as a Councilman. His thoughtfulness, organization and dedication will serve the council, and citizens of Pleasant Hill well. His background in education and supporting school districts in their legal needs is fantastic.

I know we had considered using Allen when he was practicing, but his schedule did not allow. Those other Counties and Districts gain was certainly our loss.

I urge you all to consider seating Allen Vinson in your open Council seat.

Respectfully,
Mike Maxwell
Vice President, Contra Costa County Board of Education – Elected Member, Rotary Club of Pleasant Hill   1994‐Present

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Packet Pg. 136 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews) 1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 3:45 PM
To: Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess
Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette
Subject: City Council vacancy - Robert Lamson
Attachments: ltr to City Council 2-7-23.pdf
From: Robert Lamson <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 3:41 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: City Council vacancy
Dear Danielle,
It was a pleasure speaking with you today.

Attached please find my letter to the members of the City Council in support of Allen Vinson's application to be appointed to fill the vacant seat. Please confirm that you have received it. Please submit the letter to the Council on my behalf.

Thank you.

Robert Lamson

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Packet Pg. 137 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 138 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)

4.1.f
Packet Pg. 139 Attachment: Correspondence (City Council Interviews)