TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Liza Tamura, City Clerk
Martha Alvarez, Senior Deputy City Clerk
Patricia Matson, Deputy City Clerk
SUBJECT:Title
Annual Appointments to City Boards and Commissions (City Clerk Tamura).
APPOINT
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council appoint or reappoint to the following City Boards and Commissions vacancies:
• Cultural Arts Commission
Three seats: Two Members-At-Large and one Student Representative
• Library Commission
Two seats: One Member-At-Large and one Student Representative
• Parks and Recreation Commission
Three seats: One Member-At-Large, one Older Adult (55+ Years of Age), and one Student Representative
• Planning Commission
Two seats: Two Members-At-Large
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
In preparation of the Annual Boards and Commissions Interview and Appointment Process, the City Clerk’s Office and staff liaisons have been in contact with current commissioners and applicants regarding upcoming scheduled vacancies.
To solicit interest in serving on the City’s Boards and Commissions, the City Clerk’s office placed advertisements in the January 7, February 4, March 4, and April 1 editions of the Beach Reporter. Staff posted notices on the City’s posting boards, the City’s website, Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Staff also sent out numerous e-notifications and included information in the City’s COVID-19 Situation Reports.
At the April 27, 2021, City Council meeting held virtually via Zoom, interviews were conducted with applicants interested in serving on the City’s Boards and Commissions.
DISCUSSION:
Staff has compiled a list of applicants from the community indicating interest in serving on the City’s Boards and Commissions. Below is a breakdown of each commission vacancy, along with the applicant’s expressed interest.
1. Cultural Arts Commission
The Cultural Arts Commission is responsible for the continued development and implementation of the master plan for cultural arts in the City, encouraging and supporting art education programs in the community and schools, visual and performing arts in the Art in Public Places. The Cultural Arts Commission consists of six members: four members selected at-large, one member selected as a representative with art experience, and one student representative. The Commission meets the third Monday of every month at 6:00 PM.
Seat No. 3 and Seat No. 4 - Member-At-Large
Seat No. 3 is a Member-At-Large seat that is currently occupied by Shannon Ryan. Commissioner Ryan’s term will expire on May 31, 2021. She did not apply for reappointment.
Seat No. 4 is a Member-At-Large seat that is currently vacant and previously held by Chris Davis. This seat was declared vacant on March 16, 2021, and the seat’s term expires on May 31, 2022. Since the vacant seat had 18 months or less remaining in its term, the new member appointed to this seat will complete the original term and will then be automatically re-appointed to a three-year term.
Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in these two seats.
Interested Applicants:
Jake Beniflah
Jeff Berting
Lucia La Rosa Ames
Joan Price
Rod Spackman
Karen Tokashiki
Seat No. 6 - Student Representative
Seat No. 6 is a Student Representative seat currently occupied by Juliana Ibaraki. Commissioner Ibaraki’s term is for one year and will expire on May 31, 2021. Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Hannah Avrith
Emma Cobb
Kailey Freedman-Setaro
Caroline Kiely
Aleena Parikh
Lauren Ryan
William Soderlund
2. Library Commission
The Library Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council regarding library services provided by the Los Angeles County Library System to the citizens of Manhattan Beach. This Commission also serves as a liaison between the County, City, and public and private community groups supportive of library services. The Commission consists of six members: five members selected at-large and one student representative. The Commissions meets the second Monday of every month at 6:00 PM.
Seat No. 5 - Member-At-Large
Seat No. 5 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Janet Jones. Commissioner Jones’ term will expire on May 31, 2021. She has applied and is eligible for reappointment. Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Jake Beniflah
Sherrie Brand
Seth Fishman
Janet Jones (Incumbent Seat No. 5)
Lee Phillips
Karen Tokashiki
Jacqueline Zuanich-Ferrell
Seat No. 6 - Student Representative
Seat No. 6 is a Student Representative seat currently occupied by Jordan Bailey. Commissioner Bailey’s term is for one year and will expire on May 31, 2021. Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Emma Cobb
Emma Darrow
Julie Hohauser
Alexander Jeffords
Katherine Jester
Ellie Meyer
Aleena Parikh
William Soderlund
3. Parks and Recreation Commission
The Parks and Recreation Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council regarding the recreational needs of all citizens, and promotes supervised public recreation within the City. The Commission consists of seven members: four at large members, one representative from the Older Adult community (55+ years of age), one representative appointed by the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees, and one student representative. The Commission meets the fourth Monday of every month at 6:00 PM.
Seat No. 4 - Member-At-Large
Seat No. 4 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Steven Nicholson. Commissioner Nicholson’s term will expire on May 31, 2021. He did not apply for reappointment. Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Ashley Adams-Walden
Gregory Coffman
Andrea Don
Stephen Doran
Stewart Fournier
Karen Komatinsky
Karen Tokashiki
Terri Warren
Robert Yap
Seat No. 5 - Older Adult
Seat No. 5 is an Older Adult seat currently occupied by Laurie McCarthy. Commissioner McCarthy’s term will expire on May 31, 2021. She has applied and is eligible for reappointment. Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Sherrie Brand
Joseph Fusco
Laurie McCarthy (Incumbent Seat No. 5)
Rod Spackman
Elizabeth Tanner
Karen Tokashiki
Jacqueline Zuanich-Ferrell
Seat No. 7 - Student Representative
Seat No. 7 is a Student Representative seat currently occupied by Matthew Cullen. Commissioner Cullen’s term is for one year and will expire on May 31, 2021. Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Emma Cobb
Kailey Freedman-Setaro
Skylar Grampp
Aleena Parikh
William Soderlund
Jackson Zawacki
4. Planning Commission
Pursuant to California Planning and Zoning Law and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Planning Commission implements the City’s zoning ordinance and considers land use applications such as use permits, variances, planned development permits, historic landmark requests, CEQA, and appeals of certain decisions made by the Directors of Community Development, and recommends to the City Council zone changes, code amendments, and modifications to long-range planning documents, including but not limited to the City’s General Plan and Local Coastal Plan. It is the only existing Commission that makes official determinations. Planning Commission decisions may be appealed to the City Council. The Commission consists of five (5) Member-At-Large seats and meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 6:00 PM.
Seat No. 1 and Seat No. 2 - Member-At-Large
Seat No. 1 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Stewart Fournier. Commissioner Fournier’s term will expire on May 31, 2021. He has applied and is eligible for reappointment.
Seat No. 2 is a Member-At-Large seat currently occupied by Richard Thompson. Commissioner Thompson’s term will expire on May 31, 2021. He did not apply for reappointment.
Below are the applicants that have indicated an interest in the seat.
Interested Applicants:
Richard Ackerman (Currently serving on the Board of Building Appeals)
James Dillavou
Andrea Don
Stewart Fournier (Incumbent Seat No. 1)
Ray Joseph
Karen Komatinsky
June Park
Kristin Sistos
Rod Spackman
Dominique Webster
Robert Yap
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The City Clerk’s office conducted extensive outreach regarding the vacant Board and Commissions seats by placing advertisements in the January 7, February 4, March 4, and April 1 editions of the Beach Reporter. Staff posted notices on the City’s posting boards, the City’s website, Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Staff also sent out numerous e-notifications and included information in the City’s COVID-19 Situation Reports.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Boards and Commissions Advertisement