Agenda - Planning Commission - 06/04/1996

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CASE COMMISSION APPOINTMENT PROCESS By: Linda Waite Smith, Administrative Services Manager Background: On February 13,: 1996, the City Council directed me to study the process used to select members of the City's comrnissions, including Planning, Economic Development, Park & Recreation, and Charter. The assignment included examirfing and recommending a process for interviewing applicants, the fnost important criteria for members of various commissions, the optimum number of seats for each commission, and whether someone should be allowed to serve on two commissions simultaneously. Process I sought information about the commission appointment process from a variety of sources. First, I reviewed City ordinances related to the commissions. Then, I conducted structured, personal interviews with tlie Mayor and Councilmembers. Next, I surveyed other TUG cities and received 39 replies. Finally, I distributed a questionnaire to every person currently serving on the Planning, Econorfiic Development, Park & Recreation, and Charter Commissions. Eighteen of a possible thirty commissioners returned the questionnaire. Staff Recommendation: Based on my findiiags, which are detailed in the attached report, I recommend the following: 1. Members of all the City's commissions should receive a copy of my report. 2. Commissions should be allowed to continue interviewing applicants, using an interview process to be jointly developed by the Administrative Services Manager and the commission chairs. 3. Each commission should agree on the most important qualifications for members of their commissions and applicants should be compared on the basis of those qualifications. 4. Commissions should remain at their current sizes. 5. Commissions should not have term limits, but when terms expire, incumbents should apply for reappointment and be interviewed, along with other candidates. 6. People should not be allowed to serve on more than one commission simultaneously.