Agenda Item #15.3
For Council Meeting of: December 17, 2024
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DINA MANIS, CITY CLERK
TERESA STRICKER, CITY ATTORNEY
SUBJECT: COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD APPOINTMENT ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL ELECTED DISTRICTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY AMENDMENTS AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTIONS AND MOTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the City Manager, City Attorney and City Clerk’s Offices and the Community Engagement Manager that the Council, by two resolutions and one motion: 1) adopt a resolution to amend the Community Advisory Board (CAB) membership, geographic boundaries and area-specific appointments to align with City Council elected districts, reduce CAB composition to seven members, establish quorum requirements to four members present to conduct business, and add language to clarify the passing of motions; 2) adopt a resolution to amend Council Policy 000-06 – Appointments to Boards/Commissions/Committees Section G(2)(e) to align CAB membership, geographic boundaries and area-specific appointments with City Council elected districts, and address other administrative updates to the policy; and 3) by motion approve a recommended CAB appointment transition plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2018, City Council transitioned from at-large council seats to district elected council seats. The Community Advisory Board (CAB) membership geographic area map was established in 2003 and has not been modernized to align with the council district-based structure. Council Policy 000-06 – Appointments to Boards/Commissions/Committees Section G(2)(e) specifies appointments to CAB and would also require amendment for alignment.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On October 28, 2003, the City Council adopted resolution No. 25805 establishing the CAB, and specifically the seven CAB areas.
On July 11, 2006, the Council approved staff recommended changes to the structure and duties of CAB.
On August 7, 2012, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 28174 to establish roles, duties, and areas for the CAB per Section 10(b) of the Santa Rosa City Charter. This resolution provides for 14 CAB members.
On March 11, 2014, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 28442 to provide for the CAB to review and recommend to the Council the awarding of community grant process.
On September 15, 2015, the City Council adopted Resolution No, 28686 to delegate to the CAB the ability to award the community grants.
ANALYSIS
As City Council is now fully transitioned to district elected Council seats, staff recommends alignment of the CAB membership with elected council district boundaries rather than the existing CAB geographic areas as identified in Attachments 1 and 3, and additionally recommends reduction of the CAB membership to seven members due to limited applicant pool and quorum challenges when seating a fourteen-member board. If Council chooses to reduce membership to seven members, staff recommends clarification of quorum requirements to four and voting requirements to pass motions by simple majority of members present and voting.
The staff recommendation also requires amending Council Policy 000-06 – Appointments to Boards/Commissions/Committees Section G(2)(e) to reflect the change to elected council district boundaries. Staff also recommends modest administrative corrections to 000-06 to modernize the policy. Those corrections include:
Update of the word “citizens” to “residents” to align with 2022 Charter language modernization.
Amend reference to “District Commission” to the Community Advisory Board.
Removal of reference to boards/commissions/committees no longer active, updating names of boards that have been renamed.
Update to training recommendations/requirements.
Transition Plans
Section 10(b) of the City’s Charter provides in part: “The Council shall establish a District Commission encompassing the entire City. The Commission shall be composed of the representatives of seven to fourteen districts, whose boundaries shall be established by the Council…. Each district representative, at the time of appointment and during their service as such, shall be, and remain a resident of the district they are appointed to represent.” In order to better align the CAB with the Charter language while also reducing the number of members, staff has provided two transition plan options to retain as many of those currently seated CAB members and honor their willingness to serve as a CAB member. Both options suggested eliminate the “at large” CAB members and non-district specific members over time. Although not spelled out in the charts below, these options also allow any Council member to appoint entirely new representatives so long as they are residents of their district.
Option 1 – Council members select (1) appointee from their current appointees, prioritizing selection of those appointees from within their elected council district but allowing for selection if neither appointee is from a Council member’s elected council district. Upon the earlier of the term end, resignation or removal by the appointing Council member, Council members will appoint a new CAB member from within their elected council district boundaries. With the transition plan as presented, the following related actions may need to be taken by Council members:
District
C. Member
Action
D1
Alvarez
Both current appointees reside in District 1. Appoint one sitting board member.
D2
Stapp
Current appointee does not reside in District 2. Appoint one sitting board member and require new district specific appointment upon term end.
D3
MacDonald
Both current appointees reside in District 3. Appoint one sitting board member.
D4
Fleming
Only 1 of 2 current appointees resides in District 4. Appoint one sitting board member that resides in District 4.
D5
C. Rogers
Only 1 current appointee and not from within District 5.
Newly elected Council member would select from within District 5.
D6
Okrepkie
Neither current appointee reside in District 6. Appoint one sitting board member and require new district specific appointment upon term end.
D7
N. Rogers
Appoint one sitting board member and require new district specific appointment upon term end.
With the Option 1 transition plan districts 2, 5, 6 and 7 would be unrepresented by district specific appointees until term end or upon replacement by the appointing Council member and four board members would conclude their service on the CAB. Option 1 allows for all 7 CAB seats to be filled immediately. As new Council members are elected or existing Council members re-elected, full council elected district representation could be realized by the beginning of 2027.
Option 2 - All non-council elected district specific appointments be replaced by council elected district specific appointments, leaving remaining seats vacant until filled. With the Option 2 transition plan as presented, the following related actions may need to be taken by Council members:
District
C. Member
Action
D1
Alvarez
Both current appointees are from District 1. Requires reappointment of only 1 currently sitting board member.
D2
Stapp
Current appointee is from outside District 2. Requires new appointment.
D3
MacDonald
Both current appointees are from District 3. Requires reappointment of only 1 currently sitting board member.
D4
Fleming
Only 1 current appointee is from District 4. Require reappointment of current at-large (District 4) currently sitting board member.
D5
C. Rogers
Requires appointment from District 5.
D6
Okrepkie
Current appointees are both from outside District 6. Requires appointment from District 6.
D7
N. Rogers
Current appointee is from outside District 7. Require new appointment.
The Option 2 transition plan allows for appointments to districts 1, 3, 4 to be assumed immediately based on currently seated board members. Districts 5 and 7 seats could be filled by currently seated board members serving under a different Council member. This option leaves districts 2 and 6 unrepresented and the CAB with two vacancies until new appointments are selected, and five current board members would conclude their service on the CAB. This option may bring the CAB membership to representation by Council districts sooner, if applications are promptly received for districts 2 and 6.
Alternatively, Council can provide a transition plan option if not satisfied with staff recommended transition plan options.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the proposed action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. In the alternative, the proposed action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Redline of Council Policy 000-06
Attachment 2 – City Charter Section 10
Attachment 3 - Resolution No. 28174
Attachment 3 – CAB Area Map
Resolution 1 – Amending CAB composition, geographic area boundaries, quorum Resolution 2/ Exhibit A - Council Policy 000-06– Updated
PRESENTER
Dina Manis, City Clerk
Teresa Stricker, City Attorney
Ana Horta, Community Engagement Manager
CAB MEMBERSHIP, AREA, AND APPOINTMENTS ALIGNMENT WITH COUNCIL ELECTED DISTRICTS PAGE 3 OF 3