HomeMy WebLinkAbout6h. Advisory Body Appointment for an Unscheduled Vacancy on the Tree Committee Item 6h
Department: Administration
Cost Center: 1021
For Agenda of: 8/19/2025
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager
Prepared By: Sara Armas, Deputy City Clerk
SUBJECT: ADVISORY BODY APPOINTMENT FOR AN UNSCHEDULED VACANCY
ON THE TREE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION
Confirm the appointment of Kari Gephart to the Tree Committee (TC) for the remainder
of the vacated term expiring March 31, 2026.
POLICY CONTEXT
The Advisory Body Handbook outlines the recruitment procedures, membership
requirements, and term limits for City advisory bodies. The Handbook also contains the
bylaws for each City advisory body, some of which include additional membership
requirements. The Tree Committee is a seven-member advisory body. One member must
be a representative from the Architectural Review Commission, and the remaining six
members are selected from the general public (two of whom shall be horticultural experts,
if possible). If appointed, Kari Gephart would be a general public member.
The City Council Policies and Procedures Manual describes the “Appointment Procedure”
and “Process” for Advisory Body appointments. Recruitment and appointment
recommendations were performed in conformance with all recruitment procedures,
processes, and bylaws found in these resources.
California Government Code Section 54972, Local Appointments List (Maddy Act)
requires that on or before December 31st of each year, each legislative body shall prepare
an appointments lists for their boards, commissions, and committees whose members
serve at the pleasure of the legislative body. This obligation was met and is on -going.
DISCUSSION
The City’s Clerk Office received notice on February 24th of an impending resignation of a
member of the TC after the April 28th meeting. The annual advisory body recruitment
period had identified three additional candidates that potentially could have filled this
vacancy, but after reaching out to gauge their interest and tentatively scheduling
interviews for June 16th, all potential candidates withdrew from consideration due to
personal obligations.
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Item 6h
A recruitment was promptly opened to seek a new pool of potential applicants for
consideration. After a month long recruitment, two applications were received for the
unscheduled vacancy. Both applicants were invited to interview, but only one confirmed
and was interviewed by the Council Liaison Subcommittee consisting of Mayor Stewart
and Council Member Boswell.
Upon completion of the interview, the Council Liaison Subcommittee recommended Kari
Gephart to fill the unscheduled vacancy through March 2026.
Public Engagement
Following Maddy Act guidelines, notices were posted in the City Information kiosk outside
City Hall and on the Advisory Body Vacancies page of the City’s website alerting the
public that the City was accepting applications for the vacancy on the TC. The public will
also have the opportunity to provide public comment before or at the City Council meeting
on August 19, 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in
this report, as the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec.
15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2025-26
Funding Identified: No
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $ N/A $ $ $
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $ N/A $0 $0 $0
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
ALTERNATIVES
Council could recommend changes to the recommended appointment or direct staff to re-
open recruitment for additional candidates.
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