Appointments Addendumto �s
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
DECEMBER 12, 2014
MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
GREG LARSON, TOWN MANAGER
MEETING DATE: 12/16/14
APPOINTMENTS
ADDENDUM
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SUBJECT: APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES
REMARKS:
Attached is the Commission Appointments Policy recently revised by the Town Council on June
16, 2014.
Attachment (Previously Received on December 11 2014):
1. Town of Los Gatos Board /Commission/Committee Applicants and Vacant Positions
Attachment (Received with this Addendum):
2. Commission Appointments Policy
PREPARED BY: SHELLEY NEIS '4C� L;
Clerk Administrator
Reviewed by: Assistant Town Manager T&Town Attorney
N: \CLK\Boards And Commissims\Binder For End Of Year Interview Process\20140ecember\Appointmmt Addendum Doc
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COUNCIL POLICY
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
Subject: Page
C,ormRission Appointments 1 of 4
Effective Revised Date:
2/28/90 6/13/94; 6/16/14
PURPOSE
To establish a policy to encourage participation by the Town's residents on Town Boards,
Commissions and Committees (hereinafter referred to as "Commissions "). The Town will
encourage residents to participate on Commissions by advertising vacancies on Commissions for
at least 30 days, preparing easily understood applications, maintaining clear descriptions of the
role of each Commission and Commissioners/Committee and Board Members (Commission
members), and conducting public interviews of all Commission applicants, except as provided
for in this policy.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all applicants to a Town Boards, Commissions and Committees.
POLICY
The Town Council encourages public participation in all decision making. To be successful in
achieving public participation, residents must be assured that the participation is meaningful and
that their input will be valued. The widest representation from the community can only be
achieved if vacancies are well advertised so that anyone interested will have the opportunity to
apply. Public interviewing of the applicants by the Town Council demonstrates that the Council
values these appointments and that everyone has an equal opportunity to be appointed.
To ensure the greatest possible participation by the public, it is the Town's policy that no person
shall be appointed to more than one Commission except in those cases where they are ex- officio
members of other Boards, Commissions and Committees. This policy does not apply to
Commission members serving as representatives of their Commission on joint committees such
as the Conceptual Development Advisory Committee and the General Plan Committee.
PROCEDURES
The following procedures will be followed by the applicant, the Clerk Administrator and the
Town Council for the appointment of applicants to Town Commissions:
ATTACHMENT
Responsibility and Action: Clerk Administrator
A. Annual Recruitments
Commission members' terms begin on January 1, with the exception of the Student
Commissioners, whose terns begin on September 1. The Clerk Administrator shall perform the
following duties in conducting an annual recruitment for Commission members:
1. Notify Town Council of vacancies on Commissions indicating the names of the
Commissions, the number of terms expiring or being vacated, names of individual(s) with
expiring terms or vacating seats, advertising period (at least 30 days) and the
recommended date of interview.
2. Advertise the vacancies, including the application deadline and the interview date, which
shall be set for the second Town Council meeting in December.
3. Prepare and maintain easily understood applications for appointment to
Commissions. Applications shall include the following policy information:
a) Prior to initial appointment to any Commission, non - incumbent applicants must
be interviewed by the Town Council. The applications of those not appearing will
be held for the next recruitment.
b) If an incumbent is requesting reappointment to a Town Commission, the
incumbent will be re- interviewed, or must submit a letter for distribution to the
Council prior to the interviews, describing the reason why applicant cannot be
present for an interview and why the applicant should be reappointed to the
Commission. Incumbent interviews by telephone may be considered under
extraordinary circumstances.
c) Submission deadlines are mandatory; no exceptions are permitted.
d) Applicants may apply to multiple Commissions, and will only be considered for
those Commissions to which they apply. Applicants applying for more than one
Commission will only be interviewed once.
4. a) For adult applicants —Accept applications, verify eligibility, and distribute copies of
the applications of eligible applicants to the Town Council prior to the interviews for
appointment.
b) For student applicants — Accept applications, verify eligibility, and distribute copies of
the applications of eligible applicants to the Town Council Selection Committee prior
to the interviews for appointment.
5. Notify the applicant by letter or email as to the date and time of the interview.
6. Facilitate the Council voting process by informing Council as to how many votes are
possible on each Commission, calling out applicants' names, and identifying the
applicants receiving sufficient votes for appointment. This process does not apply to
student applicants.
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7. a) For adult applicants — After the interviews and Council vote are completed, notify all
applicants of the Council's action, and explain Town policy of keeping application
active for one year with notification of subsequent openings on that commission to the
interested applicants.
b) For student applicants — After the interviews are completed, notify all applicants of the
Council Committee's action, and prepare staff report for the Town Council to ratify the
Committee's appointment at an official Town Council meeting.
B. Mid -Term Recruitments
During the year, Commissions may experience vacancies that drop the number of filled seats to a
number of members that is not sufficient to conduct Commission business. The Commission
may request the Town to conduct a mid -term recruitment to fill seats. To the extent possible, the
Clerk Administrator will consolidate mid -term recruitments to minimize the number of
recruitments occurring though the year. In the event of a vacancy on the Planning Commission,
the Town will automatically conduct a mid -term recruitment. Mid -term recruitments will not be
conducted for student commissioners. The Clerk Administrator shall advertise mid -term
vacancies on Commissions for at least 15 days.
Responsibility and Action: Applicant
Complete and submit to the Clerk Administrator the application for appointment to a
Town Commission.
2. Adult applicants attend Council meeting to be interviewed for appointment to the
Commission. Student applicants attend Council Selection Committee interview
session.
3. If a Commission member is requesting reappointment to a Town Commission and
cannot be present for the interview, submit a letter to the Clerk Administrator by
Friday prior to the interview, describing why applicant cannot be present for the
interview and why the applicant should be reappointed to the Commission.
4. If appointed, prior to starting the Commission term, see Clerk Administrator to take
"Oath of Office" and file any documents required by the Fair Political Practices
Commission.
5. Attend Commission meetings once term begins.
6. Read Commissioner Handbook
Responsibility and Action: Town Council
1. Review applications.
2. a) For adult applicants — Interview applicants at a public meeting.
b) For student applicants — Town Council Selection Committee interviews applicants
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3. Determine if incumbents not in attendance and having submitted a letter pursuant to
this policy should be considered for reappointment.
4. If there are limited applications for any vacancy to a Town Commission, the Mayor,
on behalf of the Council, may request that the Town Clerk re- advertise the vacancy,
reschedule the interviews, and notify all applicants of the new interview date.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Robert Schultz, T n ttomey
ME