The Issues: Choosing Board Members and Commissioners

Before the Mayor and City Council vote on an issue, that issue will have been studied, dissected and discussed by at least one and often two or three boards and commissions.  Some of these boards are advisory only while others have the ability to set policy. Today's question focuses on how the mayoral candidates will make their selections.

When Councilman was chairman of the Economic Development Board he urged anyone with a project to come to EDB first.  EDB is one of the "advisory only" boards.  believed that presenting a project to EDB first gave project proponents and city staff a chance to test the public opinion waters early in the process.  He believed the early exposure ultimately led to better projects, more likely to get through the approval process with fewer problems.

The Historic Preservation and Review Commission looks at any project inside the boundaries of the Downtown Historic District regardless of whether the project is part of a historic property or not.  Decisions by this board can increase the cost of a project by thousands of dollars depending on the requirements they put on the project. 

Boards and commissions can have a profound affect on businesses and property owners and on the way thie city is perceived by businesses considering a move to Benicia.

Today’s question (for mayoral candidates only): The mayor is responsible for choosing who will serve on the city’s advisory boards and commissions.  What will be your method for choosing those appointees?   Will appointees need expertise or simply a willingness to serve the community?

Mayoral Candidates:

I will continue to use the current method for appointments. This consists of a rotating council sub-committee of 2 that interviews the applicants, ranks them and submits to the Mayor who then makes the appointment to be confirmed by the council.

I pushed for this method of appointment when then Council Member Patterson and I tried to democratize the appointment process under the 2005-2007 Council. After she was elected in 2007 I was shocked that changing the appointment process wasn’t one of her first acts. After a series of appointments under the old method I began to vote no on all appointments to get her to move on the change. Only when Council Member Ioakimedes stated during an appointment confirmation vote that, “this is the last time I will vote yes”, did the new process get discussed and implemented.

Generally, I believe that a willingness to serve the community is all that should be required to serve. However, some commissions do require expertise and/or demonstrated interest in subjects pertinent to the commission. The Historic Preservation Review and Sustainability Commissions are examples. I am comfortable with this as long as enough applicants come forward that meet the criteria.

Our community has amazingly talented, skilled and passionate residents and business owners who offer their volunteer time to serve on our committees, boards and commissions.  By tapping into this wealth of experience, knowledge and interest, we have added value to our process and decisions.  I embrace citizens who offer to serve their community.

In 2003, I wrote the statement that is on every city committee, board and commission application:  “It is the intent of the City Council to have Boards, Commissions or Committees composed of people from all geographical, social, environmental and economic sectors of the community and to avoid potential conflicts of interest”.  (See also my comments above about diversity.)

When I was elected Mayor in 2007, I interviewed each and every council member and asked them what committees they were interested in and what their preferences were.  I appointed the council members according to their choices.  In my memory as a council member and as a citizen, there has never been a mayor who interviewed council members for these assignments.

In 2007 I promised to make the appointment process transparent, accessible and encouraging for all interested residents in Benicia.  We now have a council subcommittee that interviews the candidates and ranks them.  I interview all candidates and based on the ranking and ensuring “new blood” for our committees, etc., I make the appointments with council concurrence.

Nov. 8, 2011, City Council and Mayor Election Handbook: Candidate Q&As, Bios and Voter Guides

Disclosure: Patch editor JB Davis was the campaign manager for Dan Smith in his successful campaign for City Council in 2001.  He has no involvement in Smith’s 2011 campaign.