Council Appointment Review Committee recommends applicants for BPAC, downtown, performing arts and senior advisory seats

The Council Appointment Review Committee on April 15, 2025, recommended a slate of applicants to fill advisory-board vacancies and forwarded its recommendations to the City Council for final appointment.

The committee, convening as the Council Appointment Review Committee, recommended Peggy (applicant) for the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and forwarded recommendations that Sean Foreman be appointed as a downtown property owner/representative of a downtown business and Marisol (applicant) be appointed to the Downtown Business Association seat. For the Performing Arts Committee the committee recommended Valerie (applicant) and Farrah (applicant). For the Senior Advisory Committee the committee recommended Cassandra (applicant) for the unexpired term ending Dec. 31, 2025, and Donna Castillo (applicant) for the term ending Dec. 31, 2027. The committee noted those recommendations will be considered by City Council at its April 22 meeting.

Why it matters: the committee’s interviews and recommendations shape who will advise City departments on pedestrian and bicycle projects, downtown economic vitality, cultural programming at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts and senior services. These advisory bodies provide policy advice, review projects and help prioritize city efforts.

What the committee did and how it decided The item began when Deputy City Clerk Wanda Wong announced committee openings and that two BPAC applicants — John Basaglia and Lee Zhang — had withdrawn. The committee then reviewed interview question sets and timing, citing Council Policy K-2 as the process for panel-format interviews. Committee members agreed to use a standardized question set for many commissions but discussed tailoring questions for certain bodies, including a proposal to add a question for downtown applicants about the city’s economic vitality strategy.

The committee then conducted timed, round-robin interviews for applicants to four advisory bodies. Applicants who participated in public, timed answers included: Peggy (BPAC applicant); Jesse (BPAC applicant); Peter (BPAC applicant); Stefan Moss (BPAC applicant); Michael (BPAC applicant); Sean Foreman (downtown applicant); Marisol (downtown applicant); Valerie (performing arts applicant); Irina (performing arts applicant); Antoinette/Ancarra/Farrah (performing arts applicant); Cassandra (senior advisory applicant); Donna Castillo (senior advisory applicant); Michelle (senior advisory applicant); and Elna (senior advisory applicant). The committee heard applicants’ priorities and approaches and then deliberated.

Topics raised in interviews - Bicycle and pedestrian safety: Several BPAC applicants referenced the city’s Vision Zero goals and the challenge of multi-jurisdictional corridors, including state-owned El Camino Real, where local control is limited. Stefan Moss told the committee he views “pedestrians first,” and Michael argued for design that goes beyond minimum standards: “We need to design a public realm where safety is felt, not just measured.” Jesse described frequent obstructions in bike lanes and pressed for enforcement and safer, usable facilities. Applicants also proposed low-cost, signal-timing changes, pedestrian leading intervals and improved data collection and public engagement.

- Downtown vitality and permitting: Downtown applicants emphasized events and activation to increase foot traffic and ways the city could streamline permitting and improve amenities such as restrooms. Sean Foreman said he wants “to open up a dialogue between the city and all of the businesses so we can align our goals.” Committee members added a question about how the city’s economic vitality strategy could support downtown businesses.

- Performing arts programming and access: Performing arts applicants urged broader and more multicultural programming, fuller use of both the main stage and second stage, and partnerships with regional organizations. One applicant suggested developing festivals and outdoor programs that highlight South Asian arts and artisans.

- Senior services and digital access: Senior advisory applicants emphasized technology access, reducing isolation, and coordinating with county resources. Cassandra stressed digital inclusion and intergenerational connections as a priority for preventing loneliness, and Elna highlighted demographic trends the committee should plan for.

Committee deliberations and recommendations During deliberations, committee members compared applicants’ qualifications to current committee needs. On BPAC, members said they wanted a mix of technical knowledge and lived experience; the committee singled out Peggy for her focus on public education and enforcement and also discussed candidates who bring disability perspectives and technical skill. For downtown, members emphasized the value of a small-business owner on the committee and supported Sean Foreman and Marisol. For performing arts the committee prioritized applicants who could help activate the second stage and expand multicultural programming and recommended Valerie and Farrah. For senior advisory members discussed a balance between institutional knowledge and new perspectives and recommended Cassandra and Donna Castillo for the two open terms.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (Item 3.1): motion carried unanimously by roll call (committee indicated all in favor by raised hands). - Appointments/recommendations to Council (Item 5.1 and deliberations): committee moved and seconded recommendations for the applicants listed above; the committee finalized recommendations to forward to City Council for appointment on April 22, 2025. (See the actions array in the article metadata for structured details.)

What happens next The committee’s recommendations will be transmitted to the City Council; the Council makes the final appointments. The committee kept the standard interview question format in many cases but asked staff to relay interest in possible adjustments to committee membership sizes and alternates during upcoming policy reviews.

Members and staff present and quoted Deputy City Clerk Wanda Wong opened Item 5 and read the selection process; Heather (City Clerk) time‑kept during interviews. Vice Mayor Ramos and Councilmember Schwalter participated in roll call and motions. Applicants spoke from the lectern or virtual panel as noted above.

The committee’s interviews and recommendations reflect a wide range of applicant priorities — from enforcement and signal timing for active transportation to downtown activation, a push for multicultural performing arts, and senior digital access — which the City Council will consider at its April 22 meeting.