City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 5 September 8, 2026 Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 5.4
DATE: September 8, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Joan Malloy, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Approving the Mayor’s Appointment of Christine Liu to the Economic Development Advisory Team Effective September 8, 2026, and Appointments to the Park and Recreation Commission and Senior Citizens Commission Effective January 1, 2027
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The regular terms of Park and Recreation Commissioners Albert Chin and Steven C.
Nichols and Senior Citizens Commissioner Larry Gissible are scheduled to expire on November 30, 2026. At the Mayor's request, the incumbents will continue serving in a holdover capacity after their stated expiration dates through December 31, 2026, so that the succeeding terms begin on the City's standardized January 1 appointment cycle.
The Mayor recommends that the City Council approve the appointment of Christine Liu as the Economic Development Advisory Team (EDAT) Alternate At-Large Member, the reappointment of Albert Chin to the Park and Recreation Commission, the appointment of current Alternate Commissioner AJ Assef to the regular seat held by Steven C. Nichols, and the appointment of current Alternate Commissioner Chris Angelo to the regular Senior Citizens Commission seat held by Larry Gissible. Liu's appointment would take effect immediately upon adoption of the resolution on September 8, 2026, and continue through December 31, 2029, completing the existing EDAT alternate term. The three regular commission appointments would not take effect until January 1, 2027, and would expire December 31, 2030.
AJ Assef's and Chris Angelo's moves to regular seats will create two unscheduled alternate vacancies when the regular appointments become effective, and the appointees qualify on January 1, 2027. Those resulting Park and Recreation and Senior Citizens Commission alternate vacancies are not included in this action and must return through the separate vacancy-notice process. The existing EDAT Alternate At-Large Member vacancy is included in this action, and Liu's appointment would take effect immediately upon adoption. No action is proposed on the Human Relations Commission term held by Deepti Garg at this time.
Agenda Item No. 5.4
City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 5 September 8, 2026
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This item advances Goal B: Governance and Organizational Effectiveness by maintaining continuity, standardizing full terms, and promptly filling an unscheduled EDAT vacancy.
BACKGROUND
California Government Code section 40605 and Union City Municipal Code section
2.20.030 provide that the Mayor appoints members to City boards, commissions, and committees with City Council approval. The Park and Recreation Commission and Senior Citizens Commission each have four-year terms under Municipal Code sections 2.21.030 and 2.25.030. Municipal Code section 2.20.050 limits service to two full consecutive terms in each capacity. The adopted Commission Norms and Guidelines provide that a partial term does not count toward the two-term limit.
Resolution No. 2025-029 established January 1 as the commencement date and December 31 as the expiration date for new appointments. In subsequent actions to fill unscheduled vacancies, the City Council authorized appointees to begin serving upon appointment and to complete the balance of the existing term, preserving its December 31 expiration date (Resolutions Nos. 2025-036, 2025-041, and 2025-080). Christine Liu's proposed appointment follows this established approach. Upon adoption of the accompanying resolution on September 8, 2026, her appointment would take effect immediately and continue through December 31, 2029.
On January 27, 2026, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-008, establishing one EDAT Alternate At-Large Member position and appointing Chioma Chuks-Orji for a term commencing January 1, 2026, and expiring December 31, 2029. On May 26, 2026, the City Council appointed Chuks-Orji to a regular EDAT at-large seat, thereby creating a vacancy in the alternate position.
Government Code section 54974 requires the posting of a special vacancy notice and prohibits a final appointment for at least 10 working days after the notice is posted. The City Clerk completed the required posting, and the statutory waiting period elapsed before the September 8, 2026 meeting.
Table 1. 2026 Term Expirations and Reappointment Eligibility Incumbent Current Seat and History Stated
Expiration
Eligibility /
Succession
Albert Chin
Park and Recreation regular seat.
Partial regular term followed by first
full term beginning in 2022.
Nov. 30,
2026
Eligible for one
additional full regular
term.
Steven C.
Nichols
Park and Recreation regular seat.
Two consecutive full regular terms,
2018-2022 and 2022-2026.
Nov. 30,
2026
Not immediately
eligible.
Larry
Gissible
Senior Citizens regular seat. Two
consecutive full regular terms,
2018-2022 and 2022-2026.
Nov. 30,
2026
Not immediately
eligible.
Agenda Item No. 5.4
City Council Staff Report Page 3 of 5 September 8, 2026
DISCUSSION
Recommended Appointments
Table 2. Mayor’s Recommended Appointments and Effective Dates Body Appointee Action Term
Park and
Recreation Albert Chin Reappoint to a regular seat. Jan. 1, 2027-Dec. 31, 2030 Park and
Recreation AJ Assef
Appoint the current alternate to the
regular seat succeeding Steven C.
Nichols.
Jan. 1, 2027-
Dec. 31, 2030
Senior Citizens Chris Angelo
Appoint the current alternate to the
regular seat succeeding Larry
Gissible.
Jan. 1, 2027-
Dec. 31, 2030
Economic
Development
Advisory Team
Christine Liu Appoint as Alternate At-Large
Member.
Sept. 8, 2026 -
Dec. 31, 2029
Economic Development Advisory Team
Christine Liu submitted an application for the Park and Recreation Commission on August 14, 2026. At the Mayor's request, staff asked whether she would consider serving on EDAT. On August 26, 2026, Liu confirmed in writing that she is interested in appointment as the EDAT Alternate At-Large Member. The Mayor recommends appointing Liu effective immediately upon adoption of the resolution on September 8, 2026. Her appointment would continue through December 31, 2029, completing the existing EDAT alternate term. Liu must take the oath of office and satisfy all applicable qualification requirements before assuming the position. Because the appointment fills an unexpired term, it is a partial term that does not count as a full alternate term under the adopted Commission Norms and Guidelines.
Holdover Service and January 1 Transition
Municipal Code sections 2.21.030 and 2.25.030 provide that an appointee serves until a successor is appointed and qualified. Accordingly, Albert Chin, Steven C. Nichols, and Larry Gissible may continue to serve from December 1 through December 31, 2026, in a holdover capacity. Their existing term dates are not extended or amended. Christine Liu's EDAT appointment would take effect immediately upon adoption of the resolution on September 8, 2026; she must qualify before assuming the duties of the position. The three regular commission appointments remain future-effective and become operative January 1, 2027, upon the appointees taking the oath of office and otherwise qualifying.
Alternate Vacancies Created January 1
AJ Assef presently holds an alternate term in Park and Recreation through December 31, 2029, and Chris Angelo presently holds an alternate term in Senior Citizens through December 31, 2029. Upon their qualification for the regular seats on January 1, 2027, the respective alternate seats will become unscheduled vacancies.
Agenda Item No. 5.4
City Council Staff Report Page 4 of 5 September 8, 2026 Government Code section 54974 requires a special vacancy notice to be posted no earlier than 20 days before and no later than 20 days after an unscheduled vacancy occurs. A final appointment may not be made until at least 10 working days after the notice is posted in the City Clerk's office. Because these alternate vacancies will not occur until January 1, they cannot be filled through the September 8 action while preserving AJ Assef's and Chris Angelo's alternate service through December 31. Staff will post the required notices within the statutory window and return with separate appointment actions.
Human Relations Commission
Deepti Garg's current term on the Human Relations Commission expires on December 13, 2026, and she is eligible for reappointment. The Mayor is deferring a recommendation regarding her reappointment until after the November election. The City's adopted Commission Norms and Guidelines require a commissioner elected to the New Haven Unified School District Board of Education to resign from the City commission within 30 days of the election date; if the commissioner does not resign, the position is placed before the City Council for removal. The policy does not state that the City commission seat automatically becomes vacant upon installation. Absent a resignation, removal, or successor appointment, Municipal Code section 2.24.020 provides that the incumbent continues serving until a successor is appointed and qualified. No Human Relations Commission appointment is included in the accompanying resolution, and staff will return after the election.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with the recommended appointments.
Administrative costs for noticing, onboarding, and future recruitment can be absorbed within existing departmental resources.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Council adopt a resolution approving the Mayor's appointment of Christine Liu as the EDAT Alternate At-Large Member effective immediately upon adoption of the resolution on September 8, 2026; the reappointment of Albert Chin and appointment of AJ Assef to the Park and Recreation Commission; and the appointment of Chris Angelo to the Senior Citizens Commission. Liu's appointment would continue through December 31, 2029. The three regular commission appointments would become effective January 1, 2027, and expire December 31, 2030.
Prepared by: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
Submitted by: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
Agenda Item No. 5.4
City Council Staff Report Page 5 of 5 September 8, 2026 Attachments
1. Draft Resolution
2. Christine Liu Commission Application and Written Confirmation of Interest in EDAT (Redacted)