HomeMy WebLinkAboutPROPOSED REVISION TO THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR APPOINTMENTSA
LJ
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
City Council Interoffice Communication
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Keith Bohr, City Council Member
Date: August 25, 2006
Subject: H-ITEM FOR SEPTEMBER 5, 2006, CITY COUNCIL MEETING
PROPOSED REVISION TO THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR
APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
Currently, there are two ways in which members of the public are appointed to city boards and
commissions. One is for each Council Member to appoint his/her own member to a board such
as with the Finance Board and Planning Commission. The second way is through submittal of
an application for a vacancy with the appointment to be confirmed by the City Council upon
recommendation of the council liaisons to that board or commission such as with the Youth
Board and Environmental Board.
It is my experience that individual appointments by Council Members may not be the best way
to make appointments to boards and commissions. Many times, when an individual
appointment is made, the appointee may accept the responsibility without a full understanding
of what is required and may feel obligated to accept the appointment out of respect for the
requesting Council Member. By allowing the appointments to be made through a competitive
application process, the selection can be made based upon the applicant's experience, skills,
and interest. I have found that this process works well with both the Youth Board and the
Environmental Board, as the appointees sought out the assignment and have approached their
work with zeal and commitment. As well, members appear to be well suited for their role due to
the screening and competitive selection for the position.
Should the City Council support this proposal, 1 would recommend that the new process be
applied for all future vacancies, allowing all existing appointments to be grandfathered into their
position.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Direct staff to prepare an amendment to the Municipal Code establishing a formal application
and selection process for all boards and commissions. The amendment will require an
applicant to submit an application for a specific board or commission to be interviewed by the
designated council liaison for that board or commission with final appointments of all future
vacancies to be confirmed by the City Council upon recommendation of the council liaisons.
Such direction shall include grandfathering of all existing appointments.
xc_ Penny Culbreth-Graft, City Administrator
Paul Emery, Deputy City Administrator
Bob Hall, Deputy City Administrator
Joan Flynn, City Clerk
/7
7-6 �-- - /A
(11) • September 5, 2006 - Council/Agency Agenda - Page 11
E-8. (City Council) Approve the Fire Services Agreement By and Between
the Orange County Fire Authority and the City of Huntington Beach for the
Brightwater Development and Approve the Assignment of the Secured Fire
Protection Agreement By and Between the Orange County Fire Authority, the
City of Huntington Beach, and Signal Landmark, Inc. — 1) Approve and authorize
execution by the Mayor and City Clerk the Fire Services Agreement Between the
Orange County Fire Authority and the City of Huntington Beach Regarding Services to
Brightwater,"and 2) Approve and authorize execution by the Mayor and City Clerk the
Assignment of Secured Fire Protection Agreement (Signal Landmark — TT15460) by
and between the Orange County Fire Authority, the City of Huntington Beach, and
Signal Landmark, Inc. Submitted by the Deputy City Administrator, Development
Services and Fire Chief. Funding Source: Not applicable.
Approved 7-0
H. , City Councoedevelopment Agency Items
H-1a. (City Council) Submitted By Councilmember Bohr— Proposed Revision to
the Selection Process for Appointments to Boards and Commissions
Communication from Councilmember Bohr transmitting the following
Statement of Issue:
Currently, there are two ways in which members of the public are appointed to city boards
and commissions. One is for each Council Member to appoint his/her own member to a
board such as with the Finance Board and Planning Commission. The second way is
through submittal of an application for a vacancy with the appointment to be confirmed by
the City -Council upon recommendation of the council liaisons to that board or commission
such as with the Youth Board and Environmental Board.
It is my experience that individual appointments by Council Members may not be the best
way to make appointments to boards and commissions. Many times, when an individual
appointment is made, the appointee may accept the responsibility without a full
understanding of what is required and may feel obligated to accept the appointment out of
respect for the requesting Council Member. By allowing the appointments to be made
through a competitive application process, the selection can be made based upon the
applicant's experience, skills, and interest. I have found that this process works well with
both the Youth Board and the Environmental Board, as the appointees sought out the
assignment and have approached their work with zeal and commitment. As well,
members appear to be well suited for their role due to the screening and competitive
selection for the position.
Should the City Council support this proposal, I would recommend that the new process
be applied for all future vacancies, allowing all existing appointments to be grandfathered
into their position.
0 40
(12) September 5, 2006 - Council/Agency Agenda - Page 12
Recommended Action: Motion to:
Direct staff to prepare an amendment to the Municipal Code establishing a formal
application and selection process for all boards and commissions. The amendment will
require an applicant to submit an application for a specific board or commission to be
interviewed by the designated council liaison for that board or commission with final
appointments of all future vacancies to be confirmed by the City Council upon
recommendation of the council liaisons. Such direction shall include grandfathering of all
existing appointments.
Councilmember Bohr gave an oral report.
Motion to approve Recommended Action, as AMENDED to direct staff to return to
Council with a proposal only to amend the process in which Fourth of July Board
Members are selected.
Approved 7-0
H-2a. (City Council) Submitted By Mayor Sullivan — Proposed Debate on the
Measure T Issue (Senior Center)
Communication from Mayor Sullivan transmitting the following
Statement of Issue:
Ballot Measure T is a Huntington Beach vote on a proposed location for a new Senior
Center. The resources of Channel 3 and the city's website should be used to give
information to Huntington Beach voters so that they can make an informed decision.
Proposed debate format on the Measure T issue:
There would be four debaters on each side of the issue. One person chosen by
each side makes an opening statement of three minutes. Then a series of
questions begin. Someone on Side A asks a question of someone on Side B.
Respondent has three minutes to speak. Poser of the question has three minutes
to respond. Then any of the remaining six panelists have one minute to comment.
This procedure continues alternating the side asking the original question.
Finally, each panelist has a three -minute final statement. A moderator will be
necessary only to explain the format and to keep time on the responses.
Recommended Action: Motion to:
Approve the debate format for the Measure T issue.
Mayor Sullivan gave an oral report. Discussion ensued pertaining to specifics of
the proposed production and legalities of broadcasting.
No action taken.
Council Comments - (Not Agendized)
At this time Councilmembers may report on items not specifically described on the
agenda which are of interest to the community. No action or discussion may be taken
except to provide staff direction to report back or to place the item on a future agenda.
i
TIM GEDDES.
21802 Windsong Circle
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
i
(714) 962-5924
timaeddes(a`,;msn.com
TO: Mayor Dave Sullivan and HB City Council
Iyjiex T
RE: H-1 a Proposed Revision to the Selection Process for Appointments to
Boards and Commissions [City Council Agenda, September 5, 2006]
Dear Mayor Sullivan and City Council Members,
I am writing in opposition to Agenda Item H-1 a on tonight's City Council Meeting
Agenda. As Vice Chair of the Finance Board and as an appointee with over five and one
half years of service, I have a uniquely informed perspective of the selection and service
of Council appointees that is far more relevant than the individual experience of
Councilman Bohr.
Council members use a variety of criteria in selecting their appointments. Some seek
specific expertise or experience depending upon the needs of the position. Some seek
civic acumen, community representation, or other qualifications to enhance and balance
the composition of the board or commission in question. All appointees should share the
trust and confidence of their appointing Council members.
I feel that this Council member prerogative must be preserved and not subjected to the
political vagaries of a Council majority approval process. While the selection process
may be enhanced by soliciting interest from prospective appointees, and while Council
members may be guided by it in considering their choices, I feel the proposed changes
might be overly restrictive and could deny an appointment based upon politics and not
performance.
Councilman Bohr cites examples from his own experience, and that is fine. However,
he should not project the shortcomings of his process on the rest of the City Council,
and should not impose his own solution on the rest of the Council as well.
The Finance Board has been a perfect example of Council appointments falling short
of expectations over the past few years. However, the fault lies primarily with individual
Council members in either letting vacancies drag on, or in making uninformed choices to
fulfill obligations. In these circumstances, a pool of interested and "qualified" candidates
could be of value.
While perhaps well-intentioned, H-1 a should be rejected as a solution. An additional
layer of bureaucracy, the possible intrusion of politics into the approval process, and
the potential restriction on Council members making their own wise choices make this
unwise public policy.
Sincerely,
Tim Geddes, Vice Chair, Huntington Beach Finance Board
-� l �$