04 Staff Report - Ratify Appointments of Members of Student Commissions~wN0
. COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
~~S GAt~s
DATE: JUNE 14, 2007
MEETING DATE: 06-18-07
ITEM NO. / f
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: DEBRA J. FIGONE, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: RATIFY APPOINTMENTS OF MEMBERS TO THE LOS GATOS
STUDENT COMMISSIONS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE AD HOC
COUNCIL SUB-COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION:
Ratify appointments of the student members of the Community Services Commission, Parks
Commission, and the members and alternates to the Youth Commission as recommended by the Ad
Hoc Council Sub-Committee.
BACKGROUND:
In March, 2007 Council recommended that all youth, parks, and community services student
commission applicants be recruited, interviewed, appointed and trained using the same time line,
application, supplemental questions, and interview process.
This year, the Council once again has the opportunity to ratify appointments to the Community
Services Commission, Parks Commission, and Youth Commission. Recruitment efforts for
applicants to fill the available seats included distribution of letters to local schools and non-local
schools which Los Gatos youth attend, press releases to the local media, and posting of the
opportunity on the Town's website. The Town received 22 applicants from eligible candidates for
the seats on the student commissions.
DISCUSSION:
An Ad Hoc Council sub-committee comprised of Mayor Pirzynski, Vice Mayor Barbara Spector,
Police Chief Scott Seaman and Mike Loya, Youth Coordinator at Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation
Department, interviewed the applicants. Youth Commissioner Jordan Kahler participated in the
interviews as well to provide a youth perspective. The interviews included both individual and group
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PREPARED BY: SCOTT R. SEAMAN
CHIEF OF POLICE
Reviewed by: ' S Assistant Town Manager Town Attorney Clerk Administrator
Finance Community Development
PAGE 2
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENTS
June 14, 2007
interviews, with the recommendations for appointment based on composite assessments from these
interviews. All of the applicants demonstrated initiative and community spirit in applying for a seat
on the student commissions and should be commended for their effort. In general, the recommended
appointments are comprised of youth from the grade levels of the vacated seats to maintain a balance
of youth representation on the commissions. The recommended appointments are listed on
Attachment 1.
CONCLUSION:
The Council Ad Hoc sub-committee and staff recommend that Council ratify the appointments of
members and alternates as reflected on Attachment 1. The next official meeting of the commissions
will occur in September; however, the commissions and staff may plan an orientation session for the
new members during the summer. The staffs of the Police Department, Community Services
Department and Parks Department will continue to provide support to the student commissions and,
along with the Manager's Office, will continue to monitor their effectiveness and identify
opportunities for commission involvement in Town issues and projects.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
Is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funds for staff support to the Youth Commission are available within the Police Department
operating budget and the Town-wide commission training budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
Recommended Member and Alternate Appointments to the Youth Commission
DISTRIBUTION:
General
Recommended Commission Members:
Youth Commission
Hirsh Goswamy - 8th
Killian Jackson - 8th
Kelsey Hall - 9th Incumbent (Alternate)
Michelle Aranovsky -10th
Sydney Burns - 10th
Brandy Pech -10th
Amy Zhang - 11th Incumbent (Youth)
Alternates
Leslie Zankich - 9th
Megan Lambert - 11th
Antonio Garcia - 10th
Zou Long - 12th
Cheryl Chapman -12th
Community Services Commission
Yiran Zhang - 12t Incumbent (Parks)
Leena Iyar - 10th
Parks Commission
Madeline Kevorkian - 10th
Sarah Massih - 1 0th