Report Prepared by: Alejandra Medina, Deputy City Clerk, City Clerk’s Office
Title
SUBJECT: Annual Appointments to the Personnel Board to Appoint One Board Nominated and One Council Appointed Individual
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers appointing one Employee nominated individual to the Personnel Board.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Appointing Phyllis Krego to serve as the Board Nominated member for the Personnel Board with a full term expiring on July 1, 2029; and,
B. Appointing a member to serve as the Council Appointed member for the Personnel Board; or,
C. Accepting nominations and appointing as many members as Council sees appropriate and directing staff to continue the recruitment of applicants.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Appoint nominated individuals to the Personnel Board; or,
2. Refer to staff with direction to resume recruitment of applicants.
AUTHORITY
Article VII, Sections 700, 702, 702.1, 707, and 708 of the Merced City Charter.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
Personnel Board
The Personnel Board, created by City Charter, recommends to City Council the adoption, amendment, or repeal of civil service rules and regulations, in addition to other personnel matters. The Board consists of five members who serve four-year terms of office.
The members of the Personnel Board shall be nominated and appointed in the following manner:
Two members shall be appointed by the City Council from a list of five persons to be nominated by election by the employees in the classified service; two members shall be appointed by the City Council directly, and the fifth shall be appointed by the City Council from a list of three persons nominated by a majority of the four thus appointed. In the event the majority of the four thus appointed is unable to nominate three persons after sixty (60) days, the City Council may appoint from a list of less than three persons nominated. In the event the employees are unable to nominate five persons after sixty (60) days, the City Council may appoint from a list of less than five persons nominated. The successor of any member of the Board shall be nominated and appointed in the same manner as such member was nominated and appointed.
Past Council Actions
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.
Recruitment
The Clerk’s office began a recruitment campaign that consisted of a social media push over several weeks coordinated with the Public Information Officer to alert citizens of the vacancies and expiring terms, a series of emails for each board or commission sent to over 5,000 recipients notifying them of the recruitment, and public notices sent to Merced County Times.
Applications
Board Nominated - The partial term of Phyllis Krego expired on July 1, 2025. The Personnel Board has nominated Phyllis Krego to serve as the Board Nominated member in a full term ending on July 1, 2029.
Council Appointed - The term of Fred Buckingham expired on July 1, 2025. Mr. Buckingham has graciously served two full terms on the Personnel Board and is not eligible to re-apply. The applicant appointed to this position will serve a full term ending on July 1, 2029. The Clerk’s Office received eligible applications from Andrew Garcia, Caroline Meraz, Johnathon Allen, Jose Ramirez, Leland Haugen, Melissa Rosales, and Sabrina Abong.
The Clerk’s Office received an additional application before the deadline but were unable to verify the applicant per Merced Municipal Code Section 709, Personnel Board guidelines.
The matter of appointment to fill two seats to the Personnel Board is now before the Council.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
No impact on City resources.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Personnel Board Roster
2. Applications