Council debates Measure G appointments, proposes ad hoc public-safety committee

The council discussed who should nominate and vet community members for Measure G and whether the audit committee should perform appointment duties. The mayor/meeting leader said the audit committee would include the vice mayor and Bruce Buickavoli and suggested staff privately contact nominees before any public list is released.

The issue surfaced after staff pulled Item 5 from the agenda to return it at a later meeting. Council members debated how many community appointees the ordinance requires and how to avoid disappointing residents if a long list of nominees is published. One council member suggested, "Why don't we get the names to Jim, and Jim consort them with members of the council who are suggesting them?" (paraphrase from the record). The mayor cautioned against naming many nominees publicly to avoid embarrassment for those not selected.

Councilors also discussed creating an ad hoc public-safety committee to strengthen the council's connection with fire and police functions. The mayor/meeting leader described the committee as temporary — "less than 1 year" — and proposed the vice mayor and the mayor as initial participants, with the intent to hand the role off midterm to Councilman Hudson because of his public-safety experience. A council member asked whether a motion to form such a committee could be made tonight or whether the ordinance and a 30-day timing requirement must come first; the Brown Act was raised as part of that procedural conversation.

No final appointments or ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting. Councilors agreed to continue the discussion and to bring completed committee nominations or an ordinance to a future meeting for formal action.