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CC - Appointments to the Civil Service Commission; Committee on Homelessness; Fiesta La Ballona Committee; Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission; and General Plan Advisory Committee
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Meeting Date: March 8, 2021
Contact Person/Dept: Jeremy Green, City Clerk
Mimi Ferrel/City Clerk Specialist
Phone Number: (310)253-5851
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/03/2021);
Department Approval: Serena Wright-Black, Assistant City Manager (03/02/2021)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) appoint members to the Civil Service Commission (CSC); Committee on Homelessness (COH); Fiesta La Ballona Committee (FLBC); Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission (PRCSC); and General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC).
BACKGROUND
In this interim application cycle, there are seven vacancies across five bodies as follows:
• Civil Service Commission (2 positions - Seat 2 and Seat 3)
• Committee on Homelessness (1 position - Seat 5)
• Fiesta La Ballona Committee (1 position - Seat 1)
• Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission (1 position - Seat 5)
• General Plan Advisory Committee (2 positions)
The City Clerk’s Office publicized the vacancies in 2021 as follows:
• Advertisements in the Culver City News on January 28 and February 11
• Announcements at City Council meetings on February 1, 8, and 22
• Notices via GovDelivery emails on January 25 and February 5, 9, and 17
• Notices on NextDoor on February 3 and 17
• Notices on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on January 26 and February 17
• Notice on Culver City TV starting February 3
• Notice on the City’s website starting January 25
Confirmation of Eligibility Requirements
The City Clerk’s Office reviewed each application to confirm applicants met the minimum eligibility requirements. With respect to commission appointments, the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) provides certain general provisions related to members and those seeking appointment to commissions. CCMC Section 3.03.005 provides in pertinent part:
“Commissioners shall be residents of the City, none of whom shall hold any paid office or employment in the City Government. Minors, age sixteen (16) or older, are eligible to apply with parental or legal guardian consent. No person may serve on more than one (1) Commission at the same time.”
Any seats not filled by the City Council this evening will be advertised again during the annual cycle unless City Council decides otherwise. The next annual recruitment cycle begins at the end of March 2021. Please note that applications are now available to be completed and submitted on a year-round basis.
Commissions, Boards, and Committees (CBC) Interaction with City Council
Per Section VI of City Council Policy City Commissions, Boards and Committees; Appointed Representatives to Outside Agencies and Boards, adopted by Resolution No. 2020-R004, all CBCs shall periodically report to City Council on their activities. Section VI of the policy states:
“In an effort to facilitate regular communications between the City Council and its Commissions, joint meetings between the City Council and each of the Commissions shall be scheduled on an annual basis. Periodically, but no less than biannually, each CBC shall submit to the City Council a written report on their respective activities. Nothing in this Policy shall preclude the City Council from requesting a report from any CBC at any time.”
New CBC members will be informed of this requirement during their orientation.
DISCUSSION
The following summarizes eligible applications received. Applicants with an asterisk (*) applied to multiple bodies, listed in order of preference.
Electronic, redacted applications may be reviewed on the City’s website at: <https://www.culvercity.org/City-Hall/Boards-Commissions>
Civil Service Commission (CSC)
There are two positions available for appointment. Seat 2 is for a partial term expiring on June 30, 2021, and Seat 3 is for a full-term expiring June 30, 2024. City Council may consider appointing a member to Seat 2 to both (1) complete the current short three-month partial term; and (2) complete the next full four-year term appointment. If this option is selected, the member’s appointment would begin now and continue through June 30, 2025, and this Seat would not be included in this year’s annual appointments in June, unless vacated prior to that time. The partial term would not be considered a full term, as it is less than two years, so the appointed member would be eligible for reappointment in 2025. A total of six eligible applications were received from:
Stephanie Benjamin
Chi Gong
Robert Greenspan
John Lucas
Peter Stern
Heather Wollin (CSC, COH, FLBC)*
Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission (PRCSC)
There is one position available for appointment. Seat 5 is for a term expiring on June 30, 2021. Council may consider appointing a member to Seat 5 to both (1) complete the current eight-month partial term; and (2) complete the next full four-year term appointment. If this option is selected, the member’s appointment would begin now and continue through June 30, 2025, and this Seat would not be included in this year’s annual appointments in June, unless vacated prior to that time. The partial term would not be considered a full term, as it is less than two years, so the appointed member would be eligible for reappointment in 2025.
A total of four eligible applications were received from:
Khary Cuffe (COH, PRCSC)*
Michelle Ellis
Rolan Hernandez
Jane Leonard
CCMC Section 3.03.005 regarding eligibility to serve on a commission prevents an employee from being appointed because the applicant cannot, “hold any paid office or employment in the City Government.” In reviewing applications for eligibility, staff contacted Jane Leonard, currently a City employee, and confirmed her retirement date is on March 15, 2021, one week after this agenda item. If the City Council wishes to consider Ms. Leonard to fill this position, the City Clerk recommends deferring the appointment until the March 22, 2021, City Council meeting.
Committee on Homelessness (COH)
There is one position available for appointment. Seat 5 is for a term expiring on June 30, 2023. A total of 15 eligible applications were received from:
Humberto Benitez
Amy Cherness
Heidi Creve
Khary Cuffe (COH, PRCSC)*
Emily Dibiny
Bubba Fish
Robyn Kupferman
Mark Thomas Lloyd
Raequel K. London
Larry Loughlin
Lizbeth Mendez
Sapna Shah
Jamie Sussman
Sara Wasserstrom
Heather Wollin (CSC, COH, FLBC)*
It should be noted the remaining term of Seat 5 is in excess of two years and shall be considered a full-term for purposes of term limits, if applicable.
Fiesta La Ballona Committee (FLBC)
There is currently one position available for appointment. Seat 1 is for a partial term expiring on October 31, 2021. Terms for this body are for four years. The committee cycle from November 1 to October 31 so the same members can advise from the beginning of the planning period through wrap-up for each year’s event. Last year’s event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 date is not yet confirmed, but typically takes place in August.
City Council may wish to consider appointing a member to Seat 1 to both (1) complete the eight-month partial term; and (2) complete the next full four-year term appointment. If this option is selected, the member’s appointment would begin now and continue through October 30, 2025, and this Seat would not be included in this year’s annual appointments in June, unless vacated prior to that time. The partial term would not be considered a full term, as it is less than two years, so the appointed member would be eligible for reappointment in 2025. A total of three eligible applications were received from:
Isabel Doumitt
Judith Martin-Straw
Heather Wollin (CSC, COH, FLBC)*
General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC)
Council Member McMorrin’s election to the City Council and the resignation of Laura Stuart have created two vacant positions on the GPAC. On January 11, 2021, Council directed that:
• Council Member McMorrin recommend a replacement to fill her position.
• Council Members still serving will recommend replacements for vacancies in positions they appointed originally.
• New Council Members will recommend replacements for vacancies in positions appointed originally by former Council Members. For the next such vacancy, Council Member Vera will make a recommendation.
Council Member McMorrin recommends Bitania Beniam be appointed. Council Member Eriksson, who originally appointed Laura Stuart, recommends Anthony (Tony) Pleskow be appointed.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Costs for advertising the vacancies in the newspaper and on social media totaled about $619. Future costs in the FY 2021-2022 Proposed Budget include AB 1234 (Ethics and Brown Act); diversity, equity, and inclusion; and AB 1661 (Sexual Harassment) trainings. All appointees must complete these trainings within one year of appointment, with AB 1234 already scheduled for June.
ATTACHMENTS
2021-03-08_ATT_Redacted Applications Received for Interim Appointment Cycle
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Appoint ______________to Seat No. 2 of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for a partial term expiring June 30, 2021; OR for the current partial term and the next full four-year term, expiring June 30, 2025, AND appoint ______________ to Seat No. 3 of the CSC for a full term expiring June 30, 2024; and
2. Appoint_ _____________to Seat No. 5 of the Committee on Homelessness to complete the unexpired term, which expires on June 30, 2023; and
3. Appoint ______________to Seat No. 1 of the Fiesta La Ballona for a partial term expiring on October 31, 2021; OR to complete the current partial term and the next full 4-year term, expiring June 30, 2025; and
4. Appoint ______________to Seat No. 5 of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission for a partial term expiring June 30,2021; OR for the current partial term and the next full 4-year term, expiring June 30, 2025; OR defer appointment to March 22, 2021; and
5. Appoint_______________ and ___________ to the General Plan Advisory Committee for a term until disbandment of Committee; and
6. Provide direction to the City Clerk as deemed appropriate.