Boards and Commissions Rules

Boards and Commissions: Recruitment, Appointment, and Attendance Rules

The City of East Palo Alto relies on the dedication and expertise of community volunteers who serve on Boards, Commissions, and Committees. These advisory bodies help guide City policies, programs, and priorities in areas such as housing, transportation, public works, and community engagement.

To ensure consistency and fairness, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 4622 (see attached below) on June 9, 2015, which establishes rules for recruitment, appointment, attendance, deemed resignation, and reinstatement for all advisory bodies.

Recruitment Process

When Recruitments Open

Two months before regular terms expire, the City Clerk will open a recruitment and post a Notice of Vacancy.

How Vacancies Are Posted

• Notices are distributed to local organizations, posted at City Hall, and published in a newspaper of general circulation.
• Application forms are available from the City Clerk’s Office and can be sent upon request.

Application Submission

• Completed, signed, and dated applications must be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office by mail or email before the application deadline.
• No applications or attachments will be accepted after the deadline.
• If no applications are received halfway through the posting period, the Clerk may extend the deadline through an amended Notice of Vacancy.

After You Apply

• Once the deadline closes, the City Clerk provides copies of all applications to the City Council with the agenda packet.
• Applicants will be notified of the interview date, time, and location.
• Applications not selected remain on file for up to three (3) years.
• Applicants may contact the City Clerk to request reactivation of their application for future vacancies.

Interviews and Appointments

• Interviews are conducted publicly by the City Council, typically during a special meeting.
• Each applicant has three (3) minutes (or another time set by the Council) to express their interest and respond to questions.
• Appointments are made by the City Council following a public vote.
• The City Clerk and City Attorney schedule an orientation workshop for new appointees—preferably before assuming office, or within 30 days thereafter.

Attendance and Participation

Member Responsibilities

Each advisory body has a staff liaison who monitors attendance and reports vacancies or resignations to the City Clerk.

Deemed Resignation Rules

A member is deemed to have resigned and is considered removed from their advisory body under any of the following conditions:

1. Missing more than three (3) consecutive regular meetings, or
2. Missing 25% of meetings in a calendar year.

Excused Absences

An absence is excused if it results from:

• Illness of the member or an immediate family member/domestic partner
• Authorized advisory body business
• Personal necessity, jury duty, or other personal hardship
• Military leave
• Maternity leave
• An unforeseen emergency

Members must notify their staff liaison at least 24 hours before a meeting to be excused. If prior notice is not possible, the member must provide documentation (such as a doctor’s note) at the next regular meeting.

Appeals and Reinstatement

If a member is deemed resigned, they may file an appeal within ten (10) days of receiving notice from the City Clerk (or designee).

• The written appeal must explain why reinstatement should be granted.
• The City Council will hold a hearing on the appeal no later than two (2) regular meetings after it is filed.
• Following the hearing, the Council will vote to grant or deny reinstatement.

Vacancies and Unexpired Terms

If a vacancy occurs before a term expires:

• The Council may fill it from applicants interviewed within the past 90 days; or
• If the term expires within 90 days, the vacancy may remain unfilled unless quorum is affected; or
• If nine (9) months or more remain in the term, a new recruitment will be conducted.