01 Staff Report.Commission Interviews
PREPARED BY: Wendy Wood
Town Clerk
Reviewed by: 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: 12/06/2023 ITEM NO: 1
DATE: November 30, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Interview Applicants and Make Appointments for the Following Boards and
Commissions: Arts and Culture Commission; Community Heath and Senior
Services; Complete Streets and Transportation Commission; Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion Commission; Historic Preservation Committee; Library Board;
Parks and Sustainability Commission; Personnel Board; and Planning
Commission
RECOMMENDATION:
Interview applicants and make appointments for the following Boards and Commissions: Arts
and Culture Commission; Community Heath and Senior Services; Complete Streets and
Transportation Commission; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission; Historic Preservation
Committee; Library Board; Parks and Sustainability Commission; Personnel Board; and Planning
Commission.
BACKGROUND:
The Town’s Boards and Commissions advise Los Gatos elected officials on a variety of policy and
community interest matters. The Town of Los Gatos had an open recruitment for all Boards,
Commissions, and Committees that had either existing vacancies or expiring terms, including
the Finance Commission. Only Commissions with candidates are included in this action.
Members are appointed by the Town Council with the exception of the Finance Commission.
Per Los Gatos Municipal Code Section 2.50.205(c)(4), each member of the Town Council shall
appoint one Citizen Appointee to the Finance Commission.
Any candidate interested in serving on a Town Board or Commission must complete the
appropriate application and submit it during the recruitment period by the established
deadline. Current Commissioners may seek to be reappointed upon the expiration of their
PAGE 2 OF 6 SUBJECT: Boards and Commissions Interviews and Appointments DATE: November 30, 2022
current term because reappointment to a new term is not automatic. Those Commissioners
seeking reappointment must submit an application.
BACKGROUND (continued):
Current Commissioners were notified of their term expiration and notices of the upcoming
vacancies were published in the newspaper, posted on social media, published in the Town
newsletter, and posted on the Town’s website.
DISCUSSION:
On December 6, 2023, Council will interview applicants for the vacant and expiring Board,
Commission, and Committee positions. Following the interviews, each Council Member will
complete a written ballot with their respective selections. The Town Clerk will tally the votes,
and issue runoff ballots if needed. Applicants are appointed with a majority vote. Upon
completion of the appointment process, the Clerk will announce the votes.
All applicants will receive a notification regarding the appointments. The Town Clerk will
advertise any unfilled positions and welcomes any additional direction from the Town Council.
The next recruitment process is scheduled to open in February, with interviews to be conducted
in April or May 2024, or as directed by the Town Council.
The number of vacancies and applications received for each Board, Commission, and
Committee are listed below. Names with an asterisk indicate they were appointed to fill an
unexpired vacancy and therefore did not serve an entire term.
ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION (ACC)
Two (2) seats are expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (2): Expiring Terms (2):
Cristiano Colantoni Cristiano Colantoni*
Dornaz Mermarzia Dornaz Mermarzia*
BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS (BOA)
One (1) vacant seat is expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (0) Expiring Term (1):
Vacant
COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES COMMISSION (CHSSC)
Two (2) seats are expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (3): Expiring Terms (2):
Gregory Gentile Richard Konrad
Richard Konrad Lydia Norcia*
Martha Sterne
PAGE 3 OF 6 SUBJECT: Boards and Commissions Interviews and Appointments DATE: November 30, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
COMPLETE STREETS AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (CSTC)
Two (2) seats are expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (2): Expiring Terms (2):
William (Bill) Ehlers Bill Ehlers
Erik Miller Gillian Verga
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COMMISSION (DEIC)
Seven (7) seats will have staggered terms beginning in 2024.
** applied for more than one seat
Applicants (2): Seat (1)
**Tony Alacon(**faith leader, resident) Town of Los Gatos Business Owner and Resident
**Jeanette Lovely(**non-profit employee, resident)
Applicants (2): Seat (1)
Dominic Broadhead Town of Los Gatos Business Owner or Employee
Tiffany Hamm (may or may not reside in Los Gatos)
Applicants (1): Seat (1)
Diane Fisher Town of Los Gatos Faith Leader
(may or may not reside in Los Gatos)
Applicants (2): Seat (1)
**Jamie Donofrio (**Los Gatos Business Employee) Town of Los Gatos Non-Profit Employee
**Folake Phillips (**resident) (may or may not reside in Los Gatos)
Applicants (8): Seats (3)
Steven Bakota Town of Los Gatos Residents
Karen Delaney
Varily Isaacs
Pradeep Khanal
Carmen Lo
Dornaz Memarzia
Johanes Swenberg
Gordon Yamate
FINANCE COMMISSION (FC)
One (1) seat is expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (0) Expiring Terms (1)):
Stacey Dell
PAGE 4 OF 6 SUBJECT: Boards and Commissions Interviews and Appointments DATE: November 30, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
GENERAL PLAN COMMITTEE (GPC)
One (1) seat is expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (0) Expiring Terms (1):
Steve Piasecki
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE (HPC)
One (1) seat is expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (2): Expiring Term (1):
Gregory Gentile Lee Quintana*
Lee Quintana
LIBRARY BOARD (LIB)
Two (2) seats are expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (3): Expiring Terms (2):
Richard Capatosto Richard Capatosto
Sabiha Chunawala Sabiha Chunawala
Megan Grasser
PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Two (2) seats are expiring December 31, 2023.
Applicants (4): Expiring Terms (2):
Mike Buncic Mike Buncic
Craig Gleason Craig Gleason*
Gregory Lovely
Lydia Norcia
PERSONNEL BOARD
One (1) seat is expiring December 31, 2023; and one (1) short term seat expiring December 31,
2025.
Applicants (1): Expiring Term (1) and Vacant Term (1):
David Sabes Steven Bakota*
Vacant
PAGE 5 OF 6 SUBJECT: Boards and Commissions Interviews and Appointments DATE: November 30, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
PLANNING COMMISSION (PC)
Two (2) seats are expiring December 31, 2023; and one (1) short term seat expiring December
31, 2024, due to a resignation.
Applicants (4): Expiring Terms (2) and Vacant Term (1):
Tony Alarcon Jeffrey Barnett
Jeffrey Barnett Emily Thomas*
Adam Mayer Vacant
Emily Thomas
CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS:
The Town Council is scheduled to interview applicants for the following Boards and
Commissions: Arts and Culture Commission; Community Heath and Senior Services; Complete
Streets and Transportation Commission; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission; Historic
Preservation Committee; Library Board; Parks and Sustainability Commission; Personnel Board;
and Planning Commission. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Council will make
appointments based on a majority vote.
Typically, the Council Member making the selection to the Finance Commission would also
report out their decision at the time of the Commission appointments. Since there are no
applicants, staff would recommend reopening the application process immediately and
continue the recruitment until the Council Member finds a candidate they would like to
appoint.
Staff also welcomes Council direction on the timing of a recruitment to fill remaining and/or
newly created vacancies based on the appointments.
COORDINATION:
The preparation of this report was coordinated with the Town Manager and Town Attorney.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the appointments.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
PAGE 6 OF 6 SUBJECT: Boards and Commissions Interviews and Appointments DATE: November 30, 2022
Attachments:
1. Applications
2. Council Policy 2-11: Commissions Appointments, Residency and Attendance Requirements,
and Establishing a Quorum
3. Public Comment received before 11:00 a.m. November 30, 2023