HomeMy WebLinkAbout9/7/2021 Item 7a, Hermann/Purrington - Staff Agenda CorrespondenceCity of San Luis Obispo, Council Memorandum
Council Agenda Correspondence
DATE: September 2, 2021
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager
Prepared By: Teresa Purrington, City Clerk
VIA: Derek Johnson, City Manager
SUBJECT: Item 7a. – PROCESS TO FILL A COUNCIL (MAYOR) VACANCY
Staff received the following questions, regarding the process and timeline to fill the Mayor
vacancy:
1) If a sitting Council Member were appointed Mayor, what would be the timeline to fill
the then vacant Council appointment? Could a shortened timeline be presented?
Answer: As proposed in the Council Agenda Report, the appointment to a vacant
Council seat would be on October 19, 2021. After further review of the Charter and
Council Policies and Procedures, a consolidated/overlapping process could be
considered as an alternative, if noticed properly. Please see the chart below for the
consolidated/overlapping process timeline.
This process would require that the Notice of Council (Mayor) Vacancy also notice a
potential Council vacancy. If the Mayor’s seat was then filled by a seated Council
Member, the Oath of Office would be administered after a successful vote and would
be effective immediately. At that time, remaining Mayor applications that indicated
they were also interested in a Council seat, and Council Member specific applications,
could then be considered to make an appointment to the vacant Council Member seat.
Date Action
Tuesday, September 7, 2021 Council to adopt a process (i.e., appointment or direction to
call special election) to fill the unexpired term (Council
considers appointing a seated Council Member to fill the
Mayor vacancy at the October 5, 2021 meeting).
Thursday, September 9, 2021 Notice of Vacancy to fill vacant Mayor position and possible
vacant Council Member position (if a seated Council
Member is appointed as Mayor). Invite eligible persons to
submit an application for appointment for Mayor and/or
Council Member.
Staff Agenda Correspondence – Process to Fill a Council (Mayor) Vacancy Page 2
Date Action
Friday, September 10, 2021,
8:00 AM through September
24, 2021, 5:00 PM
Applications for appointment are submitted to the City
Clerk’s Office.
Monday, September 27, 2021 City Clerk will verify residency and voter registration
requirements of applicants.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021,
no later than 5:00 PM
Publish City Council Agenda for October 5, 2021 meeting,
and post applications of validated applicants.
Wednesday, September 29,
2021, through October 5, 2021
Council Members individually evaluate the applications.
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 Written public comments regarding applications accepted in
the City Clerk’s Office until 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 5, 2021 • Council considers all applications for Mayor
o If Council appoints a seated Council Member, the
Oath of Office is administered to the new Mayor.
• Council then considers applicants for vacated Council
Member seat.
o If Council appoints an applicant to fill the vacant
Council Member seat, the Oath of Office is
administered to the new Council Member.
October 19, 2021 Approval of Council Subcommittee Liaison Appointments for
remainder of 2021 and 2022.
2) If our current Vice Mayor were appointed to Mayor, could the Vice Mayor appointment
be handled during the same meeting as appointing the Mayor?
Answer: If this were to happen, a Vice Mayor appointment would be added to the
October 19, 2021, City Council meeting. It is staff’s recommendation that the term
be for the remainder of 2021 and 2022.
3) When would the new five-member Council make subcommittee appointments? It is
important that our City remains fully represented on regional boards and special
purposes committees.
Answer: This depends on if the end -to-end process or the overlapping process is
used. If the end-to-end process is used, the appointments would happen at the
November 2nd meeting. With the overlapping process, they would happen at the
October 19th meeting. Staff also recommends that these terms be for the remainder
of 2021 and 2022.