TO: Mayor Bien-Willner and Town Council Members
FROM: Jill Keimach Town Manager
Duncan Miller, Town Clerk
DATE: June 2, 2020
DEPARTMENT: Town Manager
Staff Contact Duncan Miller, 480-348-3610
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AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Interviews for Committee, Commission, and Board Appointments
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The Town of Paradise Valley has a proud history of volunteer service to the community. In addition to all-volunteer Town Council Members and Municipal Court Judges, more than 50 residents donate their time and expertise to the Town by serving on various committees, commissions, and boards.
Residents are invited to submit applications online throughout the year expressing their interest in volunteering. All applications received by the second week in February are reviewed and considered by the Mayor and Council during the committee appointment and reappointment process. Those applicants not appointed to a committee still have an opportunity to serve if vacancies come up during the year.
Consistent with past practice, committee members whose terms expire this year were contacted to ascertain their interest in being reappointed. The attached Committee and Commission Reappointment Matrix lists the committee members who have requested to be reappointed and the two vacancies that have been identified.
Timeline
Originally, volunteers were scheduled to meet with the Council on February 27 and March 12, appointments were going to be made on March 26, and new terms were to begin April 1. However, two applicants were unable to interview on March 12 and then a state-wide stay-at-home order was issued by the Governor in response to COVID-19. The Mayor and Council decided it was in the best interest of public health to postpone all appointments and reappointments until it was and practicable to resume the process. In the interim, Town Code section 2-5-1 provides that in the event that a committee term has expired, the member shall continue to serve until a successor has been appointed to fill the seat.
Consideration Process
The process by which volunteers are interviewed and selected is at the discretion of the Mayor and Council. Over the years, the Council has held interviews in public and private, and held subsequent appointment discussions in public and private. Arizona law (A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(1)) authorizes the Town Council to adjourn into executive session to discuss or consider employment, assignment, appointment, promotion, demotion, or discipline of a public officer or appointee in private. However, the affected officer or appointee must be notified in advance of the executive session and given the option to hold the discussions in public. The June 2nd agenda will include the option to adjourn into executive session and the appropriate notices will be provided should the Council choose to discuss appointments in private. Regardless, all committee appointments will be made in public on June 11 during the business meeting. The new committee terms will start immediately upon appointment by the Mayor and Council.
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Committee and Commission Reappointments Matrix
2. Interview Schedule
3. Applications