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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-11-28 - AGENDA REPORTS - COUNCIL APPT PROCESS (2)UNFINISHED BUSINESS Agenda Item: / -1 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval: Item to be presented by: Ken Pulskamp DATE: November 28, 2006 SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENT PROCESS DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council receive report, discuss the recommended process, and approve the following: 1. The recommended appointment process timeline; 2. Criteria for formulating a Community Interview Panel; 3. The list of recommended Community Panelists; 4. The recommended Community Panel interview process; and 5. The recommended City Council interview process. BACKGROUND At the November 14, 2006, City Council Meeting, the City Council discussed the options for filling the upcoming City Council vacancy resulting from Council Member Smyth's election to the State Assembly and subsequent resignation from the City Council. Pursuant to Government Code Section 36512(b), the City Council has 30 days from the date the vacancy occurs to determine which of the following two options to utilize in filling the vacancy: City Council appointment process or call for a Special Election. During the November 14 meeting, the City Council declared their intention to conduct a City Council appointment process in anticipation of when the vacancy occurs, and directed the City Manager to formulate an appointment procedure that would include community interview panels P' i for the City Council's consideration. 1. Recommended Appointment Process Timeline Wednesday, November 15, 2006 — Application process started. Per the City Council's request, interested applicants are required to complete an application similar to the one used for Commission appointments and provide a minimum of 25 signatures of verified registered voters living within the City's current boundaries. Monday, November 27, 2006 — Applications and 25 signatures due to the City Clerk's office no later than 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 28, 2006 — City Council to consider the recommended appointment procedure. Wednesday, November 29, 2006 — Eligible applicants contacted and invited to interview with the Community Panel on December 1, 2006. Friday, December 1, 2006 — Community Panel to interview candidates and recommend their top five candidates for the City Council's consideration. Saturday, December 2, 2006 — Optional Community Panel interviews if over 25 eligible applications are received. Wednesday, December 6. 2006 — Assuming the vacancy occurs and the City Council elects to appoint to fill the vacancy, the City Council will be scheduled for a Special Meeting on December 6 to interview the top five candidates recommended by the Community Panel and make a selection. Friday. December 8, 2006 — City Council Special Meeting to interview candidates ranked 6 through 10 by the Community Panel if a majority vote by the City Council on December 6 is not attainable. Tuesday, December 19, 2006 — City Council Special Meeting to install a new City Council Member. 2. Criteria for Formulatine a Communitv Interview Panel The City Council recommended that the appointment process include three Community interview Panels composed of five or six individuals that are involved within the City of Santa Clarita. The following criteria were considered in selecting the panel members: • Individual is not an elected official. • individual is active in the community. • Individual represents diverse backgrounds and interests. • Individual may hold or has held a position of influence. • Individual is not planning to apply for the City Council vacancy. • Individual is willing to serve on the Community Panel on December 1 and December 2. 3. List of Recommended Community Panelists Below is a list of individuals that meet the above criteria and are being recommended to serve on the Community Interview Panel: 1. Jim Ventress, Boys and Girls Club Chief Professional Officer 2. Dan Masnada, Castaic Lake Water Agency General Manager 3. Dianne Van Hook, College of the Canyons Superintendent 4. Connie Worden-Roberts, SCV Transportation Alliance Co -Chair 5. Chris Fall, SCV Chamber of Commerce President 6. Gary Marco, Auto Dealers Association President 7. JoAnne Darcy, Former Mayor 8. Samantha Thomas, Domestic Violence Association Co -Executive Director 9. Al Ferdman, Canyon Country Advisory Committee Chair 10. Susan Shapiro, Public Access Community Programming Manager 11. Jenny Ketchepaw, SCV Jaycees President 12. Sean Herron, Visions in Progress President 13, Dora Zovala, Hispanic Chamber President 14. Richard Budman, The Signal Newspaper Publisher 15. Holly Schroeder, Business Industrial Association Executive Officer 16. Phil Ellis, Redevelopment Committee Chair 17. Ian Swift, Placenta Nature Center 4. Recommended Community Panel Interview Process It is recommended that the Community Panel Interview Process take place on Friday, December 1, 2006. If there are more than 25, candidates, the Community Panel Interview Process will continue to the next day or Saturday, December 2, 2006. Both meetings will be noticed and provide an opportunity for the public to participate. Panelists will be divided into three groups of five or six. Each panel will be in separate rooms and facilitated by a City staff member. The public may choose in which room to sit. The actual format of the Community Panel interviews will depend on the number of applicants. Applications are due to the City Clerk's Office on November 27, 2006. The City Manager will describe the interview format to the City Council during the November 28 City Council Meeting. Once interviews are complete, Panelists and members of the public will convene for public comments. During this time, members of the public will have three minutes each to make comments for the Community Panel's consideration. After public comments, each Panelist will have the opportunity to select their top five candidates for the City Council's consideration. Selections will be tallied during the meeting by the City Clerk's Office and the top five candidates will be announced. 5. Recommended City Council Interview Process It is recommended that on Wednesday, December 6, 2006, the City Council interview the top five candidates recommended by the Community Panel. Candidate interviews will be limited to 30 minutes each. This will include five minutes at the beginning of the interview to provide a brief introduction and overview of qualifications. The remaining 25 minutes will be designated for City Council questions. At the end of the City Council interview process, members of the public will have an opportunity to make public comments limited to three minutes each. The Council will then open the floor to determine if a candidate has a majority vote. If a majority vote is not attainable on December 6, it is recommended that on Friday, December 8, 2006, the City Council interview candidates ranked six through ten by the Community Panel and then select a candidate by majority vote. Once an appointment is made on either December 6 or December 8, the newly appointed City Council Member will be installed on December 19, 2006. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other actions as determined by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact as a result of action taken on this item.