Minutes 2010-05-05 SP MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, MAY 5, 2010
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 EAST BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
1. CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Ferrara called the Special City Council meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL:
City Council: Council Member Chuck Fellows, Council Member Joe Costello, Mayor
Pro Tem Jim Guthrie, and Mayor Tony Ferrara were present.
City Staff Present: City i at ve and Information Services/City ty Clerk Kell Director of
Kelly Wetmore.
3. FLAG SALUTE:
Mayor Ferrara led the Flag Salute.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT:
No public comments were received.
5. CONSIDERATION OF A PROCESS FOR FILLING CITY COUNCIL VACANCY:
City Attorney Carmel presented the staff report and recommended the Council consider options
for the procedures to use to fill the vacancy on the City Council created by the resignation of
Council Member Arnold and direct staff accordingly.
Council discussion ensued, and consensus reached, to post a Notice of Vacancy as soon as
possible at City Hall and on the City's website; issue a news press release; set a deadline of
May 17, 2010 for accepting applications; and to add language to the application that it is
optional to include letters of recommendation and/or a resume.
Further discussion ensued regarding a public forum where applicants who want to be appointed
to the Council would have an opportunity to answer questions from the public; the dates,
location and time for the forum; and whether the Council should approve any questions to be
presented at the public forum. Council Member Costello also noted that additional questions
could be asked at a follow -up Council meeting prior to making an appointment.
Council Member Fellows suggested the following questions for the public forum: "What do you
consider two or three important issues facing the City that you would like to help solve ?" and
"Name two or three things you like about Arroyo Grande that should be protected'. Mayor Pro
Tem Guthrie suggested the following question: "What do you think are the three most important
financial priorities for the City ?'. The Council concurred with the three questions to be asked at
the public forum.
Minutes of City Council Special Meeting
May 5, 2010
Page 2
Council discussed proposed dates and locations for the forum and determined that May 19
was the preferred date and May 21 was the second choice. Staff was directed to coordinate
and finalize the location, date, and time. It was also determined that the Council would make
the appointment at its May 25"' meeting.
Mayor Ferrara suggested the possibility of individual Council interviews with the applicants
following the public forum, in an informal setting, and including it in the process or leaving it up
to the discretion of each Council Member. Council Member Costello suggested that due to the
short timeframe, that staff just inform the applicants that Council Members may contact them
individually. The Council concurred.
Mayor Pro Tem Guthrie then described a proposed ranking process or system for identifying the
top two or three candidates. Following discussion, the Council agreed to use a ranking system
to determine the top two candidates from which to make a nomination for appointment.
The Council further agreed that each applicant would have an opportunity to make a three
minute presentation to the Council on May 25
.
In response to a question regarding the swearing -in of the appointed Council Member, City
Attorney Carmel
research the matter
responded ensure li ed t co with place
law. t the same meeting; however, he
6. ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor ' p.m. on r Tuesday, May 11, 2010, in the City Council Chambers, 215 E. Branch Council at
Tony Ferrara
ATTEST:
// i •
Kelly e y ore, City Clerk
(Approved at CC Mtg 55-25-20M)