DISCUSSION:
The Council will make appointments to all five (5) Citizen Commissions for the 19 open vacancies. Eighteen of the positions are to be filled for two-year terms, until January 2027, and one position is refilling an opening on the Climate & Resiliency Commission, which is for a oneyear term, until January 2026, due to a member resignation.
Vacancies Term Subject to Majority Vote,
Appointment by:
Budget and Finance Commission: 3 vacancies total
Three (3) vacancies 2 Years
Until End of Jan 2027
By Mayor Heebner
By Councilmember Edson
(District 3)
By Councilmember Zito
(District 1)
Climate & Resiliency Commission: 5 vacancies total (new name as of Jan. 13, 2025) Three (3) vacancies Residents2 Years
Until End of Jan 2027 By Council-at-large
One (1) vacancy
Resident
Due to resignation
1 Year
Until End of Jan 2026 By Council-at-large
One (1) vacancy
Professional
(resident or non-resident)
2 Years
Until End of Jan 2027 By Council-at-large
Parks and Recreation Commission: 4 vacancies total
Four (4) vacancies 2 Years
Until End of Jan 2027 By Council-at-large
Public Arts Commission: 4 vacancies total
Four (4) vacancies 2 Years
Until End of Jan 2027 By Council-at-large
View Assessment Commission: 3 vacancies total
Three (3) vacancies 2 Years
Until End of Jan 2027
By Mayor Heebner
By Deputy Mayor Becker
(District 2)
By Councilmember Edson
(District 3)
January 29, 2025
Citizen Commissions Annual Appointments
Notification/Recruitment Efforts
The “Maddy Act” posting provides a notice of the status of member appointments for general reference. In addition, a vacancy notice (Attachment 3) was prepared and posted, and various efforts were made to seek public interest by informing all existing members, regardless of whether their term was expiring, past applicants, posting of vacancy notices, Council and Staff noticing, and City eblasts to an estimated 2,000+ subscribers. In addition, outreach was made to 11 scientific organizations including Association of Women in Science, Environmental Health Coalition, Environmental Science Association, I Love a Clean San Diego, ICLEI (Local Governments of Sustainability), San Diego Foundation, San Diego Science Alliance, SCS Engineers, UCSD Environmental Studies, and the University of San Diego College of Arts and Sciences. Four paid advertisements were published in the Solana Beach Sun (owned by the Union Tribune) and The Coast News Group, both free papers distributed around Solana Beach.
Application Process
The Application deadline was posted for January 14, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. to process and distribute all applications with the agenda packet. Since the number of applications needed was received by this date, no deadline extension occurred.
Resubmittal applications were accepted from members re-applying for the same position while new applications were submitted from new applicants or current members applying for a different Commission. Applications were reviewed for completion of contact information, commission choices, and verification of requirement criteria, such as property ownership, which is required for two Commissions (Budget and Finance and View Assessment).
Distribution to Council
This Staff Report contains an Application Worksheet (Attachment 6) outlining each applicant’s Commission selection(s) and their respective application submittals (Attachment 7). The applications are on file with the City Clerk’s Office and were distributed to the City Council with this Agenda’s full packet or available via a separate link for the general public.
Appointment Protocol
As outlined in Solana Beach Municipal Code (SBMC) Section 2.60, appointment designations are noted for each individual Commission, whether a position is appointed by Council-at-Large or whether it is designated by an individual Councilmember. These appointment designations are noted on the Public Notice. All nominations are subject to a majority vote of the City Council.
Member Requirements
SBMC Sections 2.64, 2.72, 2.74, 2.84, Resolution 2007-160 (for Budget Finance), and Resolution 2025-003 (Climate & Resiliency) outline the duties of the Commissions; however, there are other duties and assignments determined by Council, Staff, and the Commissions in relation to various opportunities and issues that occur throughout the year. To carry out the Commission’s work, SBMC Section 2.60.010 outlines the requirements of meeting attendance.
As a legislative body, like the City Council, Citizen Commissions are required to fulfill a responsibility of participating in each meeting for all matters brought before the Commission.
In addition, the Commission Handbook, provided to each appointed/re-appointed member, and January 29, 2025
Citizen Commissions Annual Appointments
posted online, provides various other requirements, regulations, guidelines, and procedures for Commission members.
Member Appointment Term
The appointment date of Commission members triggers deadlines for required tasks and filing paperwork. The appointed member may begin participating in Commission work once they have been sworn in by taking their Official Oath, administered by the City Clerk’s Office. The swearing-in may take place before or at the first meeting of the Commission as coordinated with the City Clerk’s Office. Member terms end on January 31 or once an appointment is made to fill their post, whichever occurs first.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no significant fiscal impact associated with this annual appointment process. Pursuant to City Council Policy 19 (Background Check Requirements for Citizen Commissions), new appointees are required to complete a background check at the expense of the City. The Human Resources department incurs the cost for background checks for Commission members.
WORK PLAN: N/A
OPTIONS:
∙ Approve Staff recommendation and proceed with appointments for vacancies. ∙ Do not approve Staff recommendation and extend deadline to receive new applications, allowing expiring positions to remain vacant until refilled.
CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Appoint three (3) members to the Budget and Finance Commission nominated/appointed by individual members (Mayor Heebner, Councilmember Edson, and Councilmember Zito) for two-year terms.
2. Appoint five (5) members to the Climate & Resiliency Commission nominated/appointed by Council-at-large for the following positions:
a. Three (3) Resident appointments for two-year terms.
b. One (1) Resident appointment for a one-year term.
c. One (1) Professional appointment for a member of the environmental and/or scientific community (resident or non-resident) for a two-year term.
3. Appoint four (4) members to the Parks and Recreation Commission nominated/appointed by Council-at-large for two-year terms.
4. Appoint four (4) members to the Public Arts Commission nominated/appointed by Council-at-large for two-year terms.
January 29, 2025
Citizen Commissions Annual Appointments
5. Appoint three (3) members to the View Assessment Commission:
nominated/appointed by individual members (Mayor Heebner, Deputy Mayor Becker, and Councilmember Edson) for two-year terms.
______________________
Alyssa Muto, City Manager
Attachments:
1. Maddy Act Posting
2. Policy No. 5
3. Vacancy Notification Flyer
4. Worksheet outlining openings and applicants’ choice(s)
5. List of Applicants
6. Applications (separate binder)