City Council appoints two to Transportation Advisory Commission, creates eligibility list

The Tracy City Council on April 15 interviewed four applicants and formally appointed Maurice Francis and Mr. Cooper to two open seats on the Transportation Advisory Commission. The council also established an eligibility list that placed Mr. Cody first and Rosario Rulipon second for future vacancies.

City Clerk acting Nancy Lopez explained the appointment process and the recruitment timeline to council members before interviews began. The recruitment opened on March 6 and closed March 28; four applications were received. The selected appointees will serve four-year terms beginning May 1, 2025 and expiring April 30, 2029, per the council’s appointment policy, which requires interviews in open session and informal recommendations from council members to the mayor for proposed appointees.

Council followed its decided interview protocol: each council member asked one question from a predefined list, applicants were allowed two minutes to respond to each question with additional follow-up time, and council allotted time for discussion before informal recommendations. Applicants described a mix of transportation experience, community engagement and priorities: Maurice Francis emphasized engineering and public safety experience and said he has served on the commission for about two and a half years; Mr. Cooper, a current commissioner, emphasized outreach to transit riders and technology for improved service; Mr. Cody cited law enforcement and aviation experience; Rosario Rulipon described community advocacy and prior involvement in local transit matters.

Council members praised the candidate pool and discussed relative strengths. Councilmember DeWay (sic) and others placed Francis and Cooper highest; the mayor moved to appoint Cooper and Francis and to create an eligibility list naming Cody and Rulipon, a motion that passed on roll call. The mayor will forward his proposed appointees to the commission as required by the appointment policy. There was no public comment during the interviews.

Staff noted that appointees will assume four-year terms beginning May 1, 2025. The selection process followed the city’s appointment policy as summarized in the staff report, including the mayor’s authority under Government Code referenced in the staff memo to propose appointees for council approval.

The Transportation Advisory Commission advises council on transit routes, bus stops, service levels and other transportation matters. The council’s action fills two vacancies and creates a short-term eligibility pool for future vacancies.