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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10b - Declare a Vacancy on Library BoardDeclare a Vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees March 18, 2025 Page 1 of 3 DATE: March 18, 2025 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Dominic Lazzaretto, City Manager By: Linda Rodriguez, City Clerk SUBJECT: DECLARE A VACANCY ON THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ACCORDING TO THE ARCADIA CITY CHARTER. CEQA: Not a Project Recommendation: Approve SUMMARY Each June, the City Council makes appointments to fill various openings on City Boards and Commissions. Board and Commission members serve four-year terms, except for the Senior Citizens Commission, which maintains two-year terms. There are instances where the full term of service cannot be completed by some Board and Commission members, and it results in a vacancy. In the instance where a member of a City Board or Commission has three consecutive unexcused absences, Section 805 of the Arcadia City Charter calls for the City Council to declare that a vacancy has occurred. Library Board of Trustees Member Pardha Akalamkam has missed three consecutive meetings without being excused by the Board. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council declare that position vacant, and direct the City Clerk to present a list of applicants on file for consideration to fill the unexpired term, at the next City Council Meeting. HISTORY At the City Council Meeting on June 20, 2023, the City Council made annual appointments to fill vacancies for City Boards and Commissions. During the meeting, the City Council appointed Pardha Akalamkam to serve on the Library Board of Trustees for a four-year term, which expires June 30, 2027. Mr. Akalamkam has missed three consecutive monthly meetings – November 2024, January 2025, and February 2025 (the Board does not meet in December). According to the Arcadia City Charter, Section 805: “If a member of a board or commission is absent form three consecutive regular meetings…unless by permission of such board or Declare a Vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees March 18, 2025 Page 2 of 3 commission expressed in its official minutes…their office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the Council.” On March 10, 2025, the City Clerk’s Office notified Mr. Akalamkam that, due to these unexcused absences, his seat on the Board would be presented to the City Council for vacation during the March 18, 2025, City Council Meeting. This agenda item will allow the City Council to declare a vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees, according to the Arcadia City Charter, and provide direction on filling the vacant seat. DISCUSSION Due to Mr. Akalamkam’s absences, it is recommended that the City Council declare a vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees and consider the following options to fill the position: Option A: Appoint From Previous Applicants On File The City typically receives more applications for Board and Commission positions than are available when the routine appointment process is conducted each June. After the annual appointment process, the resumes of applicants not selected for appointment are kept on file with the City Clerk’s Office. If a mid-term vacancy occurs on a City Board or Commission, the City Council may choose to fill the vacancy from the list. For this vacancy, the City Clerk’s Office has contacted individuals with resumes on file, with four applicants expressing an interest in serving on the Library Board of Trustees. This option allows the Library Board to achieve full membership as expediently as possible. Option B: Fill the Vacancy Through Annual Recruitment Process Each Spring, the City Clerk’s Office initiates a recruitment process for City Boards and Commissions. The recruitment period begins a few months before appointments are made by the City Council in June. For the June 2025 appointments, the City Clerk’s Office has already initiated the recruitment process. Openings are advertised through Arcadia’s printed and digital publications, including the monthly utility bill insert, monthly E- Newsletter, City social media, and City website. The Library Board is comprised of five members and a one-seat vacancy from the months of March – June 2025, should not excessively hinder the operations of the Board. Based on the timing of this vacancy, if the City Council prefers to undertake a broader recruitment process, this vacancy could be filled as part of the annual appointment process at the June 17, 2025, City Council Meeting. Declare a Vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees March 18, 2025 Page 3 of 3 Option C: Conduct A Full Recruitment Process At the City Council’s discretion, a full recruitment process could be initiated to fill the vacancy on the Library Board. The recruitment to fill any vacancy necessitates 30 days for advertising and publication, followed by a City Council Meeting to conduct the appointment process. Based on current timing, the earliest the recruitment process and appointment could be completed would be the May 6, 2025, City Council Meeting. Based on the length of time needed to undertake a separate recruitment and the ongoing annual recruitment process, this option is not recommended for pursuit. Conducting a separate recruitment for the Library Board vacancy while the City is already running its annual recruitment process will cause confusion. Based on all the available options to fill this vacancy, it is recommended that the City Council select Option A, making an appointment to the Library Board of Trustees from the four applications on file, at the April 1, 2025, City Council Meeting, with the term expiring June 30, 2027. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), as it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact resulting from the City Council declaring a vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees. Conducting a separate recruitment process under Option C would create some minor costs. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council determine this action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); declare a vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees according to the Arcadia City Charter; and make an appointment to the Library Board of Trustees at the April 1, 2025, City Council Meeting to fill the vacancy, with the term expiring June 30, 2027.