DATE: April 25, 2023
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Clerk
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution Accepting the Resignation of Mr. Ray Bonilla Jr., from the Planning Commission, and Consideration of Options for Filling the Planning Commission Vacancy
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) accepting the resignation of Mr. Ray Bonilla Jr., from the Planning Commission, and then takes action regarding the vacancy on the Commission by either directing staff to fill the vacancy as part of the 2023 recruitment process that recently commenced or by adopting a resolution (Attachment III) to appoint alternate Ms. Shanta Franco-Clausen to the vacancy until July 2023.
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SUMMARY
Mr. Ray Bonilla Jr. was appointed to the Planning Commission on September 19, 2017. Mr. Bonilla’s resignation becomes effective immediately following his swearing in as a City Council Member on April 18, 2023.
On March 30, 2023, former Council Member Elisa Márquez was selected to fill the vacant District Two Supervisor position and on April 4, 2023, was sworn into office. During the April 11, 2023, Council meeting, the City Council declared Ms. Elisa Márquez’s seat vacant and considered City Council candidates from the January interview process who comprised Artavia Berry, Ray Bonilla Jr., and Austin Bruckner. Following the staff’s presentation, a formal motion was made to appoint Ray Bonilla Jr. to fill the two-year term City Council vacancy. The appointment created a vacancy on the Planning Commission.
The 2022 General Municipal Election and 2023 City Council appointment created two vacancies on the Planning Commission which launched a special recruitment from December 14, 2022 through January 12, 2023. On January 24, 2023, following interviews of qualified and interested individuals, the Council appointed Ms. Karla Goodbody and Ms. Anika Patterson to fill Council Member Roche and Goldstein’s former Planning Commission seats. The Council also confirmed the selection of Ms. Shanta Franco-Clausen as the alternate to the Planning Commission for a term ending July 2023, should another unexpected Planning Commission vacancy occur.
The 2023 annual recruitment for City commissions and the Keep Hayward Clean and Green Task Force started last week with the publication of water bill inserts soliciting applications from Hayward residents; the application deadline is August 4, 2023. In addition, there is a significant amount of onboarding required for new Planning Commissioners that is unique to that body. The Council and City commissions will also be on recess from the beginning of July until mid-August when Commission interviews will be conducted. Consequently, staff wanted to present two options for Council consideration, given the current timelines: 1) proceed with appointing Ms. Shanta Franco-Clausen to the Planning Commission vacancy for approximately two months; or 2) wait to fill the vacancy as part of the 2023 annual recruitment process.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Resolution Accepting Resignation
Attachment III Resolution Appointing Alternate