To be considered for appointment, an applicant must complete and submit an application and meet all requirements to serve for the particular committee or commission. Beyond the submission of an application, the following guidelines are offered to applicants for consideration in approaching the appointment process. Following these guidelines is encouraged but not required. If an applicant does not satisfy one or more guideline, he or she is not automatically disqualified as an applicant. Conversely, following all of the guidelines does not guarantee appointment. It is left to the applicant's discretion as to how he or she chooses to pursue the appointment process.

Guidelines

• Timely filing of an application for consideration;
• Contacting the Mayor and members of the City Council prior to the appointment hearing to discuss the appointment (either email, phone, or in-person meetings conducted at any point after the announcement of the vacancy opening and prior to the appointment consideration item, including providing a copy of their application and supporting materials)
• Attending a committee or commission meeting or contacting members of the committee or commission on which the applicant seeks to be appointed
• Appearing and speaking at the Council meeting at which the appointment is considered
• Endorsement by community members through materials or comments in support of the applicant at the Council meeting at which the appointment is considered; and
• Providing thoughtful responses to questions posed by members of the City Council at the Council meeting at which the appointment is considered.

The City Council has also considered the following factors to select applicants in order to bring an overall balance in representation on a committee or commission:

• Seeking geographic representation by district, or by school representation (for the Youth Commission);
• Evaluating age and the opportunity to serve or re-apply (often in consideration of appointments to the Youth Commission);
• A commitment to encourage diversity in representation.

The application format is the same for most of the committees and commissions; however, the Youth Commission has an alternative application format. Each vacancy opening will have the specific application format posted with the solicitation notice and informational sheet for the committee. Applications and submitted materials are public records.

The application is primarily intended to collect contact information of the applicant. In some cases supplemental questions will be asked on the application. The application document is intended to be brief. An applicant is not restricted to keeping responses contained on the application form, and an applicant may include any number of additional attachments for inclusion with a submitted application. The City encourages applicants to include additional informational attachments, such as resumes, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and/or introductory letters, if relevant. All applications and submitted supplemental materials are compiled by staff and distributed to the City Council by the Friday prior to the appointment consideration.

The deadline established for applications to be submitted is a procedural deadline to provide time for the Office of the City Clerk to compile and distribute applications, verify that applicants meet the requirements to hold the vacant position, and to meet agenda publishing deadlines. When applications are received after the published submittal deadline but still prior to the date of the appointment consideration, those applications are verified, then circulated as staff memos, and included for consideration of the vacancy appointment.

Appointees will receive training from the City regarding open meeting laws (the Brown Act). Certain appointed positions, such as the Planning Commission, will require the filing within 30 days of appointment of a Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700) and will require compliance with state required trainings in public service ethics and anti-harassment.

Contact City Clerk Jason Lindgren for any additional questions regarding the application or appointment consideration process: