Hayward City Council approves overhaul of city commissions, creates Clean and Green Commission

The Hayward City Council on March 4, 2025, voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of a council ad hoc committee and introduced an ordinance to amend the Hayward Municipal Code that would standardize commission procedures, shorten the size of the Community Services Commission and formally create a Clean and Green Commission.

The action, presented by Assistant City Manager Youngblood, responds to an April 2024 work session and a months-long ad hoc review intended "to ensure operational efficiency, align the commissions with the city council's priorities and to clarify roles and responsibilities," Youngblood said. The council moved to accept the report and introduce the ordinance; the motion was made by Council Member Roach and seconded by Council Member Bonilla.

Council members and staff framed the package as administrative and organizational rather than a change in program policy. Key decisions in the package include reducing the Community Services Commission's membership from 17 to 11 to focus the commission's advisory role on resource-allocation decisions tied to funding cycles; transitioning the long-standing Keep Hayward Clean and Green task force into a formal Clean and Green Commission with 18 members and two alternates; and adopting uniform meeting protocols and updates to the appointed officials handbook, including clarifications on attendance, leadership roles and expected professional conduct.

City Attorney Lawson described the proposal's treatment of term limits: "The charter establishes a two-term successive limit on commissioners," he said, and staff explained how midterm appointments are handled so that a commissioner appointed to fill an unexpired term of up to two calendar years may still serve up to a combined total of roughly ten successive years under the proposed wording.

Council members discussed implementation mechanics. Staff said the Community Services Commission will shrink to 11 members through attrition (the commission had 14 members at the time of the meeting); vacancies will be filled only as needed to reach the new cap. For the Clean and Green Commission, staff noted recent resignations would require recruitment to meet the proposed membership. Assistant City Manager Youngblood said the ad hoc met six to seven times between June and February and held a public meeting in November 2024 that invited input from existing commissioners.

Public commenters who serve on commissions and task forces urged changes that increase community engagement and collaboration. Commissioner Josue Barrera suggested broader outreach and shared events to reach more youth. Vice Chair Ferreira of the Keep Hayward Clean and Green task force said converting the task force to a commission would "not only help stabilize our numbers ... but also bringing in new talent, new ideas," and would support event staffing and outreach.

Council discussion also produced a directed language tweak about commissioners speaking as private residents. The draft handbook language said commissioners "should not use their title or position when advocating for issues outside the scope of their commission's work." Several council members asked staff to soften that phrasing so commissioners may identify their role while clarifying they are speaking on their own behalf; City Attorney Lawson and staff agreed to revise the wording accordingly.

The council voted by roll call to accept the ad hoc report and introduce the ordinance; the motion passed unanimously. Roll-call voting recorded aye votes from Council Members Andrews, Bonilla Jr., Goldstein, Roach, Syrup, Sir Manuel and Mayor Mark Salinas. Staff said the ordinance introduction and related adoption would be scheduled for a future March meeting; a precise adoption date was not specified in the meeting record.

Implementation steps described by staff include updating the appointed officials handbook, adjusting recruitment and appointment practices (including capping Community Services membership through attrition), and returning the ordinance for formal adoption. The city attorney's office will also refine handbook language about commissioner conduct and public advocacy before the ordinance returns to the council.