Council endorses notice-and-application process for committee alternates, allows public alternates where permitted

Council received a staff report and gave direction on appointments for primary and alternate representatives to regional boards and committees.

A staff member reported: "per the direction of the city council, staff reached out to all the boards, commissions, and the committees in which the city of Montessorino council members participated." The attached memo summarized responses from regional bodies confirming whether primaries or alternates needed to be elected officials and described an existing city resolution and policy on appointment procedures.

Council members expressed a preference that primary seats generally remain elected officials but agreed that alternates could be public members in some cases — specifically noting Silicon Valley Clean Energy as an example where a non–elected alternate may be allowable. The council directed staff to prepare a public notice, application, and selection process similar to the city’s current commission appointment procedures and to consider timing the public process around council reorganization in December to avoid elected-official/resident competition for the same slots.

Why this matters: Expanding the option for public alternates (where allowed by the regional body) could broaden resident participation on regional boards but requires a clear, transparent selection process.

What’s next: Staff will draft a process and return with the proposed notice/application for council review.