Report Prepared by: Jennifer Levesque, Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk’s Office
Title
SUBJECT: Annual Appointments to the Recreation and Parks Commission (Districts 1,3,4 and 6)
REPORT IN BRIEF
Accept nominations to fill seats on the Recreation and Parks Commission.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Accepting nominations and appointing individuals to serve as members of the Recreation and Parks Commission (Districts 1, 3, 4, and 6); or,
B. Accepting nominations and appointing as many members as Council sees appropriate and directing staff to continue the recruitment of applicants.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended; or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Direct the Clerk’s Office to continue recruitment for the vacancies.
AUTHORITY
Merced Municipal Code, Section 3.38.050.
DISCUSSION
The Recreation and Parks Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to recreation and parks; considers the annual budget for recreation and parks during the process of its preparation and makes recommendations with respect thereto to the City Manager and to the City Council; and assists in the planning of a recreation program for the citizens of Merced.
At the Council meeting of March 21, 2022, staff was directed to return to a yearly appointment process for the reappointment of eligible members and the appointment of new applicants to vacant board or commission seats.
The Clerk’s office began a recruitment campaign that consisted of two 1/4 page ads in the Merced County Times in May and June, a social media push over several weeks coordinated with the Public Information Officer to alert citizens of the vacancies and expiring terms, and a series of emails for each board or commission sent to over 3,000 recipients notifying them of the recruitment.
District 1 - This seat has been vacant since the move to appointment by Council district in 2021. The Clerk’s Office received no eligible applications for this vacancy during the recruitment.
District 3 - The term of Yesenia Curiel expired on July 1, 2022. Ms. Curiel has expressed a desire to be reappointed and is eligible for reappointment. The Clerk’s Office received three additional qualified applications for this seat from Scott Ruffalo, Jacqueline Keeney, and Sabrina Abong.
District 4 - The term of Valente Huitron expired on July 1, 2022. Mr. Huitron has expressed a desire to be reappointed and is eligible for reappointment. The Clerk’s Office has received three additional eligible applications for this seat from Steven Hoagland, Astrid Morales and Alexander Carr.
District 6 - The term of Douglas Piuser expired on July 1, 2022. Mr. Piuser has stated that he does not wish to be reappointed to the commission. The Clerk’s Office received qualified applications for this seat from Rosaura Barragan, Cole Cooper, and Joseph Bauer.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Recreation and Parks Commission Applications
2. Current Roster