CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
STAFF REPORT
2175 Cherry Avenue • Signal
Hill, California 90755-3799
4/11/2023
AGENDA ITEM
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
CARLO TOMAINO
CITY MANAGER
SUBJECT:
APPOINTMENT OF CITY CLERK
Summary:
An open recruitment was held to seek residents who are interested in filling the unexpired term of City Clerk. All applicants have been invited to attend tonight’s City Council meeting and will be offered an opportunity to address the City Council regarding their qualifications for appointment.
Recommendation:
Conduct interviews and make an appointment to fill the office of City Clerk until November, 2024, at which time an election will be held to fill the remaining two years of the City Clerk vacancy.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Strategic Plan Objective:
Goal No. 6: Promote a transparent and open government.
Background and Analysis:
The former Signal Hill City Clerk, Ms. Carmen Brooks, resigned effective March 1, 2023, to relocate outside of the City of Signal Hill. On February 14, 2023, the City Council unanimously decided to fill the unexpired term of City Clerk by appointment and directed staff to conduct a recruitment to seek residents interested in filling the City Clerk vacancy.
Government Code section 36512(b)(2) requires that if a vacancy in an elective office is filled by appointment in the first half of the term, the appointment shall be until the next general municipal election. As Ms. Brooks’ term does not expire until 2026, the City Council may appoint someone to CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 1 of 3 Printed on 4/6/2023
powered by Legistar™
4/11/2023
election. As Ms. Brooks’ term does not expire until 2026, the City Council may appoint someone to serve as City Clerk until the November 2024 election, at which time an election to fill the remaining two years of the City Clerk office will be held. The appointment does not change the term of the City Clerk office.
The recruitment was conducted from March 1 to March 31, 2023, and the individuals listed below submitted applications; their names are listed in alphabetical order below:
Kiran Gidwani
Daritza Gonzalez
Nicole Woods
City Clerk Candidates
Neither State law, the Signal Hill Charter, nor the Municipal Code include a provision that establishes an appointment procedure to fill an unexpired term of the City Clerk. Charter Section 602 of Article VI - Appointive Boards and Commissions states “The members of each of such boards or commissions shall be appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council.” As a city-wide elected position, the City Clerk does not fall under the provisions of Charter Section 602, Article VI.
The following procedure was previously used to fill the unexpired terms of City Clerk (2014 and 2017) and City Treasurer (2014):
City Clerk Selection Procedure
1. Mayor invites City Clerk candidates to address the City Council and explain their interest and qualifications for the position. Each candidate will be given five minutes.
2. Mayor provides Council Members an opportunity to ask questions of the candidates.
3. Mayor seeks nominations for City Clerk by stating, “Nominations are now in order for City Clerk.” A second motion is not required. After a nomination is made, a second motion to the nomination is not required. Once a nomination is made a second nomination for the same candidate is not needed.
4. After nominations are made, Mayor states “Are there any further nominations for City Clerk?” If no other nominations are made, the Mayor states “Nominations are closed.”
5. Council Members are given an opportunity to comment on each nominee.
6. Mayor conducts a roll call vote for each of the nominees in alphabetical order by nominee last name.
7. The first nominee to receive a majority vote is appointed City Clerk by the Mayor.
Process for Tie Vote
1. The Mayor conducts another roll call vote in alphabetical order by nominee last name. The CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 2 of 3 Printed on 4/6/2023
powered by Legistar™
4/11/2023
first nominee to receive a majority vote is the City Clerk appointee.
2. If another tie vote is cast, the Mayor may ask Council Members to reconsider their nomination and conduct another request for nominations.
3. Mayor conducts a roll call vote for each of the nominees in alphabetical order by nominee last name.
4. If the votes do not change after several roll call votes, the candidate with the lowest votes can be eliminated.
5. Following the subsequent vote, the first nominee to receive a majority vote is the City Clerk appointee.
6. If another tie vote is cast, Mayor repeats the Tie Vote process.
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 3 of 3 Printed on 4/6/2023
powered by Legistar™