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Community Vitality and Safety Committee interviews CIRA applicants; committee reappoints two members and fills two vacancies
Summary
At its Feb. 27 meeting the CVS committee interviewed five applicants for the Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, approved two reappointments and appointed one full member and one alternate seat; voice votes were recorded for each motion.
The Community Vitality and Safety Committee interviewed applicants for four vacancies on the Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (CIRA) during its Feb. 27 meeting and took several appointment votes.
City Clerk Nicole Emery ran the interview process and explained the format: each applicant was given two minutes for a presentation and up to five minutes of follow‑up questions from committee members. The interviews included applicants identified in the meeting as Hugo (later referenced in motions as Hugo Nicholas and Hugo Cruz Morrow), Isabel (who introduced herself as Isabel Hernandez), Eunice, and Naftali. One applicant listed on the agenda did not appear.
Following interviews, the committee voted to recommend two reappointments and filled two open seats. In a voice vote the committee recommended reappointing Hugo (recorded in the motion as "Hugo Nicholas") to the member‑9 position for a three‑year term effective April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2028; the motion was seconded and adopted. The committee then recommended reappointment of Erie Rubenca to member‑10 for a three‑year term (April 1, 2025–March 31, 2028); that motion was also adopted by voice vote.
The committee then moved to fill two open seats. The committee recommended appointment of Hugo Cruz Morrow to fill the unexpired member‑3 term (through March 31, 2027). The committee also recommended appointment of Isabel Hernandez to serve as an alternate member for a full three‑year term ending March 31, 2028. Both motions were adopted by voice vote.
Committee members praised several applicants for experience and community ties. Members said they were impressed by Isabel Hernandez’s focus on outreach, education and health‑care access for immigrant communities; they also noted Eunice’s interest in supporting immigrant‑owned small businesses and the value of applicants with lived immigrant experience. Members discussed trying to increase representation from residents who live inside Tacoma city limits but also acknowledged the value of regional applicants with strong community ties.
The committee did not publish roll‑call vote tallies in the meeting transcript; each motion was adopted after a voice vote of those present. The clerk’s office will finalize appointment paperwork and notify applicants of committee recommendations.
