City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 5 January 9, 2026
Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 4.2
DATE: January 9, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
SUBJECT: Boards, Commissions, and Committees Interviews (January 9 and January 20, 2026) and Discussion of the Appointment Process
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This staff report provides an overview of the applicants selected for interview to fill current and upcoming vacancies on City boards, commissions, and committees. It outlines the interview process and schedule for City Council consideration. Interviews will be conducted during two Special City Council Meetings on January 9 and January 20, 2026.
No appointments are proposed at this time; the City Council will consider them at a subsequent meeting following the completion of interviews.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This item supports the City Council’s adopted Strategic Plan, specifically:
• Goal B – Governance and Organizational Effectiveness
By conducting a structured recruitment and interview process for City boards, commissions, and committees, the City promotes effective governance practices.
It ensures that advisory bodies are properly staffed to support informed decisionmaking. • Goal E – Communication and Outreach:
The recruitment process and public interview format encourage civic engagement and provide residents with opportunities to participate in local government, strengthening transparency and community involvement.
Conducting interviews for open seats ensures continuity of operations across advisory bodies and supports the City’s long-term governance objectives.
BACKGROUND
The City Clerk’s Office conducted a recruitment to address current and upcoming vacancies on various City boards, commissions, and committees. Following consultation with the Mayor, a subset of applicants was selected to be brought forward to the City Council for interview.
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Applicants were contacted in advance of the City’s furlough period to confirm availability.
Interview slots were assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to applicant availability. Interviews are scheduled across two Special City Council Meetings to manage overall meeting length and provide sufficient time for each applicant.
SEATS IN SCOPE FOR THIS INTERVIEW CYCLE
Arts & Culture Commission
• One (1) Commissioner seat with a term expiring March 8, 2026 • One (1) vacant Alternate Commissioner seat
Economic Development Advisory Team (EDAT)
• One (1) vacant at-large member seat
Human Relations Commission
• One (1) Commissioner seat with a term expired August 31, 2025 • Two (2) Commissioner seats expiring January 2026
• One (1) vacant Alternate Commissioner seat
Parks & Recreation Commission
• Two (2) vacant Alternate Commissioner seats
Planning Commission
• Two (2) Commissioner seats expiring January 9, 2026
• One (1) Commissioner seat expiring February 2026 (currently held by Commissioner Seyi McLelland)
• One (1) vacant Alternate Commissioner seat
Senior Citizens Commission
• One (1) Commissioner seat expiring February 2026 (Mayor recommending reappointment of the incumbent Commissioner; no interview proposed) • One (1) vacant Alternate Commissioner seat
DISCUSSION
Applicants Selected for Interview
The following applicants are scheduled to be interviewed by the City Council:
January 9, 2026 – Special City Council Meeting
• 5:00 PM – Staff Report Review and Briefing on the Boards, Commissions, and Committees Interview Process (includes Planning Commission vacancies and overall interview logistics)
• 5:15 PM – Harpal Mann (Planning Commission; Economic Development Advisory Team)
• 5:30 PM – Erik Nuno (Arts & Culture Commission)
• 5:45 PM – Inderjeet Bhambra (Parks & Recreation Commission) • 6:00 PM – Gabriel Borden (Planning Commission)
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• 6:15 PM – Gabriel Wong (Planning Commission; Human Relations Commission; Economic Development Advisory Team; Parks & Recreation Commission) • 6:30 PM – Allan Samson (Arts & Culture Commission)
• 6:45 PM – Yangfan Shi (Planning Commission)
• 7:00 PM – Chioma Chuks-Orji (Planning Commission; Parks & Recreation Commission)
January 20, 2026 – Special City Council Meeting
• 5:00 PM – Kendahyl Wallace (Parks & Recreation Commission; Planning Commission)
• 5:15 PM – Ann Yap-Jequinto (Planning Commission)
• 5:30 PM – Martin Jequinto (Human Relations Commission) • 5:45 PM – Seyi McLelland (Planning Commission, incumbent) • 6:00 PM – Harinder Kaur (Human Relations Commission; Economic Development Advisory Team)
• 6:15 PM – Adrian Hipolito (Parks & Recreation Commission; Human Relations Commission)
• 6:30 PM – Darrin Ransom (Planning Commission; Human Relations Commission; Economic Development Advisory Team; Parks & Recreation Commission; Senior Citizens Commission)
• 6:45 PM – Trevor Frodsham (Human Relations Commission) • Time TBD – Zhongjie You (Planning Commission) (Only if City Council Accepts Late Application)
• Time TBD – Kaleolani Diego (Planning Commission) (Only if City Council Accepts Late Application)
One applicant, Michelle Bruessard, applied for the Human Relations Commission and Senior Citizens Commission and has not responded prior to scheduling; staff will follow up as appropriate.
Late-Received Applications (Council Direction Requested) Two Planning Commission applications were received after the recruitment deadline and are being presented to City Council for consideration of whether to accept them into the current recruitment cycle. Mayor Singh has reviewed both late applications and supports interviewing the applicants if the City Council elects to accept them into the current recruitment cycle.
• Zhongjie You (received December 30, 2025) — applied for the Planning Commission
• Kaleolani Diego (received December 31, 2025) — applied for the Planning Commission
If the City Council approves acceptance of these late applications, staff will schedule the applicants for interview at the January 20, 2026 Special City Council Meeting, subject to availability and time remaining on the interview agenda.
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INTERVIEW PROCESS
At the January 9 and January 20, 2026 Special City Council Meetings, the City Council will:
• Interview applicants for open seats on boards, commissions, and committees; and • Discuss the appointment process and next steps.
Interview times are approximate and subject to change based on the pace of the meeting and Council discussion. Applicants have been asked to arrive at 5:00 PM to ensure availability as the schedule progresses.
Final appointments are anticipated to be considered at a subsequent regular City Council meeting.
Appointments for Future Council Consideration (Not Part of January 9 or January 20 Interviews)
Mayor Singh has indicated that he intends to bring forward the following appointments for City Council consideration at a subsequent Regular City Council meeting as part of the overall appointments process. Both candidates have been previously interviewed and are currently serving on commissions.
• Lee Guio – proposed appointment to the Economic Development Advisory Team as an at-large member (no additional interview proposed); and • Thu Thai – proposed reappointment to the Senior Citizens Commission (no additional interview proposed).
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with conducting the interviews. Staff time related to recruitment, application processing, and interview coordination is absorbed within the City Clerk’s Office existing operating budget.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Accept the two late-received Planning Commission applications into the current recruitment cycle and, if accepted, include the applicants for interview on January 20, 2026, subject to availability and the pace of the meeting;
2. Conduct interviews with applicants for open seats on City boards, commissions, and committees at the January 9 and January 20, 2026 Special Meetings; and
3. Discuss the appointment process and next steps.
Prepared by: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
Submitted by: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
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City Council Staff Report Page 5 of 5 January 9, 2026
Attachments
1. Attachment A – January 9, 2026 Applicant Packet
2. Attachment B – January 20, 2026 Applicant Packet
3. Attachment C – Lee Guio Application
4. Attachment D – Thu Thai Application
5. Attachment E – Late Application - Zhongjie You
6. Attachment F – Late Application - Kaleolani Diego
7. Attachment G – City of Union City Boards, Commissions, and Committees Roster