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Yucaipa City Council fills dozens of commission and committee seats after public comment and nominations
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Summary
The Yucaipa City Council appointed residents to multiple city commissions and committees Jan. 21 after a public comment period and a round of council nominations. The council also left several positions open for additional recruitment.
The Yucaipa City Council on Jan. 21 appointed dozens of residents to the city’s advisory commissions and committees, moving to fill seats on bodies that advise the council on parks, planning, finance and other municipal matters.
City Clerk staff told the council that membership terms run with the general municipal election and last two years. After several public commenters described their backgrounds and interest in serving, council members nominated and voted on candidates for each commission and committee.
The appointments included nominees to the Healthy Yucaipa Committee, Public Finance Authority Board, Trails and Open Space Committee, Park and Recreation Commission and Planning Commission, among others. Several applicants urged the council to prioritize diversity of experience and geographic representation during the public comment period.
In public comment, Holly Warner, who applied for the Planning Commission, said the council should “pick a diverse panel, of different experiences, voices, and that can really advise you moving forward.” Heather Leon, an applicant for the Public Finance Board, told the council she teaches government and economics and has experience with auditing and bookkeeping. Several applicants emphasized volunteer experience on trails, planning or school programs.
Votes at a glance (appointments approved by the council as recorded on the meeting record): - Healthy Yucaipa Committee (7 appointed members; 2 nonvoting council members): Dr. Hanson Wong (nominated by Council Member Beaver; seconded), Robin Jensen (nominated by Council Member Miller; seconded), Ross McGinnis (nominated by Council Member Woolsey; seconded), Meredith Sherwin (nominated by Mayor Pro Tem Venable; seconded), Heather O’Bear (nominated by Mayor Thorpe; seconded), Dr. Matthew Underwood (at-large), Rebecca Hayes (at-large). Mayor Pro Tem Venable and Mayor Thorpe serve as the committee’s two nonvoting council members. - Public Finance Authority Board (two at-large members and three council members): Dustin Novak (nominated by Council Member Beaver), Heather Lyon (nominated by Council Member Miller), Joshua Sloane (nominated by Council Member Woolsey), Dustine Novak/Dustine Davat (nominated; transcript spelling varied), Roe Randolph (nominated by Mayor Pro Tem Venable); three council members were named to serve as the board’s voting council members. - Trails and Open Space Committee (9 members; four at-large positions and five seat appointments): multiple residents were appointed, including candidates who described regular trail use and volunteer experience. - Park and Recreation Commission (6 members; one appointment per council member): the council appointed one member per council seat; appointees included Denise Allen, Heather Plascencia, Joel Keller, Tara Van Groll and Spencer Gonzales. - Planning Commission (7 members): the council nominated and approved seven members, including Stacy Chester, Brandon Mill, Dennis Miller, Tony Hicks, Robert O’Brien, Mike McKeuschin and Timothy Mullins.
Staff and council members confirmed that some committees had no applicants (notably the Vector Control Committee) and that other committees would be reopened for recruitment or reassessed by staff. The city clerk said staff used newspaper notices, postings at city hall and the Yucaipa branch library, and the city website and social media to recruit applicants.
Why it matters: Advisory commissions and committees advise the City Council on policy, land use, parks and finance; filling those seats restores advisory capacity and allows residents to participate directly in municipal decision-making.
The council congratulated appointees and closed the item after the clerk announced the installed rosters. Several items related to committee membership will return to council for follow-up, including recruitment for committees that received no applicants.
Ending: Council members thanked applicants and staff for the large turnout of applicants this cycle and moved to the next agenda item.
