11 staff report.Commission Questions
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 11/21/2023 ITEM NO: 11
DATE: November 7, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Approve Modifications as Recommended by the Council Policy Committee to
Town Council Policy 2-11: Commission Appointments, Residency and
Attendance Requirements, and Establishing a Quorum
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve modifications as recommended by the Council Policy Committee to Town Council
Policy 2-11: Commission Appointments, Residency and Attendance Requirements, and
Establishing a Quorum.
BACKGROUND:
Among other items, Town Council Policy 2-11 sets forth the interview process for candidates to
Town Board, Committees, and Commissions (see Attachment 1, pages four and five). The Policy
states:
To ensure the interview process is consistent, fair, and equitable, each applicant shall be
asked the same standard questions, as provided below. Notwithstanding, no Council
Member shall be prevented from asking appropriate questions of applicants.
1. If appointed, what ideas would you like to see the Commission explore?
2. Please expand beyond the written response on your application: your experience,
interest, and/or expertise that you feel would be most useful to the Commission.
3. Please elaborate on any written response provided in the application to assist the
Council learn more about you.
4. If you did not answer any of the questions on the application, please explain why.
The standard questions are limited in number to allow an applicant sufficient time to
respond. While the intent is for each Council Member to be able to ask one question of
each applicant, the Council may decide not to ask all of the provided questions, change the
order of the questions, or rotate which Council member asks a specific question. Interview
PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Commission Appointment Policy DATE: November 7, 2023
BACKGROUND (continued):
questions will be reviewed annually by the Town Council in advance of the interview
process for any potential modifications.
DISCUSSION:
At its October 24, 2023 meeting, the Policy Committee heard public testimony and discussed if
it remains useful for the Town Council to review the interview questions annually. Staff posed
this question given the broad discretion afforded to the Town Council in its use of the standard
questions and the discretion of the Council to ask other appropriate questions of applicants.
Public testimony by one member of the public focused on the utility of the General Plan
Committee.
One Committee member explained his concern for the language preceding the standard
interview questions, stating that he thought it was misleading to the applicants. He also
objected to the notion of standard questions, especially for incumbents, because there are
more pertinent lines of inquiry for specific candidates. He offered that the standard questions
might be better suited for the application itself. The Committee member did not want to ask
the Council to make such changes at this time.
The other Committee member acknowledged the mixed usefulness of the standard questions.
After deliberation, the Committee voted unanimously to recommend to the Town Council the
deletion of the last sentence of the section that calls for an annual review of the interview
questions (see Attachment 1).
COORDINATION:
The preparation of this report was coordinated with the Town Clerk and Town Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The potential modification of Town Council Policy 2-11 regarding Commission Appointments
has no fiscal impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Commission Appointment Policy DATE: November 7, 2023
ATTACHMENT:
1. Draft Redline Town Council Policy 2-11: Commission Appointments, Residency and
Attendance Requirements, and Establishing a Quorum