Sunnyvale holds two-night interviews for roughly 40 boards-and-commissions candidates; appointments set for May 20

Sunnyvale City Council spent the evening of May 13 conducting the second night of interviews for vacant seats on the city's boards and commissions, reviewing about 20 candidates that night and roughly 40 across the two nights, City Clerk David Carnahan said. Council expects to make its appointments at the May 20 meeting, with the city clerk notifying applicants later in the week.

The interviews covered multiple commissions including the Sustainability Commission, Heritage and Preservation Commission, Arts Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission and the Library Board of Trustees. Council members asked each candidate a set of roughly 15 minutes of questions; candidates described priorities they would pursue if appointed and answered commissioners' questions about local programs and policy limits.

Why it matters: these advisory bodies shape local policy and programs that affect housing, public space and city services. Several applicants raised items with immediate operational implications'for both council and staff'including how to expand electric-vehicle charging, how to preserve heritage resources under new state housing rules and how to broaden library services and internet access for underserved…