100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523-3323 – (925) 671-5270 www.pleasanthillca.org
MEMORANDUM
TO: City Councilmembers
FROM: Mayor Matt Rinn
DATE: October 7, 2024
SUBJECT: Approve Procedural Change for Appointments to the John Muir Community Health Fund Board of Directors
The City of Pleasant Hill has two seats on the John Muir Community Health Fund Board of Directors (CHF Board), a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation and supporting organization to John Muir Health, that distributes grants and partners with community-based nonprofit organizations to create sustainable health initiatives that enhance health care services in central and east Contra Costa County.
The City’s current practice of filling its vacant seats on the CHF Board can leave a lengthy gap in between appointments. Vacancies on the CHF Board can be filled by elected officials or residents or a combination of both. Council is asked to consider modifying the procedures for filling vacancies to provide continuity on the CHF Board.
Background
The John Muir Community Health Fund Board comprises ten members, three of which are appointed by the Concord City Council serving as the Concord/Pleasant Hill Health Care District Board of Directors; five are appointed by the John Muir Association; and two are appointed by the Pleasant Hill City Council. A maximum of two seats may be filled by elected officials in each participating jurisdiction. CHF Board members are responsible for governing the Community Health Fund, which includes vetting, awarding and monitoring grants, establishing grant making and operating policies, and approving annual operating budgets.
Terms on the CHF Board are generally three years in length and expire in December. Pleasant Hill’s current practice is for the Mayor to determine whether to appoint Councilmembers or residents to the CHF Board as part of the Mayor’s annual appointments to committees, 2 subcommittees and boards. If a resident is currently filling a seat with a three-year appointment, the Mayor determines if the remaining seat will be filled by a Councilmember. When a Councilmember is appointed, it is for a one-year appointment until the next Mayor makes appointments.
Over the past 10 years, one of the two Pleasant Hill seats have consistently been filled by a resident for all but one year, during which two Councilmembers were appointed. Breaks in threeyear terms for residents have been attributable to resignations prior to completion of terms.
This year, the incumbent resident’s three-year term will expire in December. The incumbent resident is interested in reappointment and is in good standing with the Board. With the current appointment practice, appointment/reappointment would not begin to be considered until after the Mayor makes appointments, most likely to occur in January.
Here is a summary of the last 11 CHF Board appointments:
Seat 1 Seat 2 Comments
2024 Matt Rinn (Council) Joseph Vu (Resident) Terms expire Rinn and Vu in December 2024
2023 Matt Rinn (Council) Joseph Vu (Resident)
2022 Matt Rinn (Council) Joseph Vu (Resident) Vu term 2-22 thru 12-24 2021 Matt Rinn (Council) Ken Carlson (Council) Both seats filled by Council 2020 Ken Carlson (Council) Cindy Turner (Resident)
2019 Ken Carlson (Council) Cindy Turner/ Allison
Koerber (Resident)
Turner- unfilled term thru
12-20/Koerber thru 4-19
2018 Ken Carlson (Council) Allison Koerber (Resident)
2017 Ken Carlson (Council) Allison Koerber (Resident)
2016 Ken Carlson (Council) Allison Koerber (Resident)
2015 Ken Carlson (Council) Allison Koerber (Resident)
2014 Ken Carlson (Council) Allison Koerber (Resident) Carlson’s term began 1-14; Koerber’s term began 8-14
Analysis
History shows that one of the two CHF Board seats has typically been held by a resident.
However, the current appointment process can result in appointment recommendations going to Council for approval as late as April, and the appointee potentially misses trainings, retreats and annual planning processes generally held near the beginning of the year. 3 The Council could determine that one of the two seats will again be filled by a resident, and for the position to be filled prior to the term expiration allowing for continuity on the CHF Board, as is done for other Council appointed board positions held by residents. The Mayor would then consider filling the remaining seat with an appointment of a Councilmember during the Mayoral appointments of Councilmembers to committees, subcommittees and boards.
In the event a resident appointed to the CHF Board resigns prior to term expiration, a recruitment would be held to complete the unfilled term, and the Interview and Nominating Committee would forward a recommendation to the City Council for consideration. If the Mayor determines that the second seat will also be appointed to a resident, another recruitment could be held if needed or a person could be appointed from the recent candidate pool.
Recommended Actions
To facilitate more timely appointments and maintain continuity on the on the CHF Board, I recommend that the City Council:
1) Maintain the practice of the Mayor appointing a Councilmember to the CHF Board during the Mayoral appointment process; and
2) Request the recruitment/appointment process for filling the expected vacancy for the seat held by a resident to be completed prior to term expiration in December, and for the Interview and Nominating Committee to forward a recommendation for appointment to the City Council.
Alternative Actions
The Council may decline to make any changes to the current process or may provide other direction to staff.