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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020.01.27 - Minutes - Special MeetingCITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING JANUARY 27, 2020 CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Tye called the Special City Council meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. in the Diamond Bar City Hall Windmill Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Tye led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Council Members Andrew Chou, Ruth Low, Mayor Pro Tern Nancy Lyons, Mayor Steve Tye Staff in attendance: Dan Fox, City Manager; Ryan McLean, Assistant City Manager; David DeBerry, City Attorney; Anthony Santos, Assistant to the City Manager; Kristina Santana, City Clerk. 1. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Kushal Sonawala requested the Council Members find a candidate who would help represent the interests of Diamond Bar, particularly related to understanding the needs of millennials and youth. Mario Salas thanked potential candidates who are participating in today's meeting. He asked that candidates answer three questions related to: 1) their contributions if they served on a commission; 2) strategies to address traffic; and, 3) strategies to improve public safety. 2. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: 2.1 APPLICANT INTERVIEWS AND CONSIDERATION TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO FILL A VACANT CITY COUNCIL SEAT. CM/Fox stated that the purpose of this Special City Council Meeting is to interview candidates for a vacant City Council seat as a result of the resignation of Carol Herrera. Staff recommends that the City Council proceed from top to bottom on the interview schedule as revised. Once the interviews are completed, the City Council may deliberate amongst themselves and make a decision to appoint a Council Member today or defer the appointment to the Regular City Council Meeting on February 4th C/Low stated that this is an open meeting and asked if each candidate must leave the room once their interview is finished. CM/Fox responded that all candidates and members of the public may remain in the room through the entire meeting unless they choose to leave. JANUARY 27, 2020 PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL MlTye asked that each Council Member ask the same question of all of the candidates. The scheduled 15 minutes per interview is flexible in that the candidate and interviewer are expected to finish their questions, sentences and responses. The following applicants were interviewed for consideration of appointment to fill the vacant City Council seat: Stan Liu William "Bill" Rawlings Tommy Orona Dr. Sanjay Doshi Sandra Ybanez Dr. Kim K. Hsieh Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke Andrew Wong At the conclusion of the interview process during which M/Tye declared brief recesses at 4:25 and 5:13 p.m., M/Tye stated that at its January 7th meeting, the City Council took action to begin the process to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Council Member Carol Herrera. The City received 10 applications and tonight the City Council interviewed eight individuals. He said it was fascinating to him that five of the applicants currently serve as Commissioners. The City has such a strong bench of diversely talented people to choose from. The City loses a lot with the absence of Council Member Carol Herrera having served for 20 years and prior to that, 16 years with the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board and, he believes it is critical that the City has someone with that kind of experience dealing with the City. The experience of these applicants is simply marvelous. He believes one candidate stands out more than the others relative to activity in Diamond Bar whether that is on Commissions, in the schools, or in local programs. M/Tye made a motion that the City Council appoint Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke to the position. C/Chou asked if staff would revisit the procedure to better understand how the Council is to proceed to make its decision. CA/DeBerry explained that the City Council can engage in whatever length of discussion it deems necessary, after which someone on the City Council will make a nomination which requires a second to go to a vote. Following the nomination and second, the City Council may engage in discussion about that candidate if it so chooses, prior to the roll call vote. C/Low seconded M/Tye's nomination of Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke for purposes of discussion. C/Low said it has been a privilege to speak with each of the individuals who were interviewed. She took notes as each individual talked who all JANUARY 27, 2020 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL showed passion, a desire to serve and the idea that they were looking for ways to use their skills to better the community. Everyone has been thoughtful and purposeful in the words they spoke and C/Low thanked each one of those interviewed. MPT/Lyons commented on the high quality of the applicants with each having provided so much community service. Unfortunately, only one of the eight interviewed can be selected. However, she hoped that the other seven candidates stay involved and engage with the City to an even greater extent by attending events and participate in Commission and Council meetings. All of the applicants are very valuable community members. MPT/Lyons thanked them for participating in this process. C/Chou thanked everyone for participating. Everyone was well prepared and he hopes that they will continue to participate in community events and government. He appreciated everyone's service to the community. Please remember that serving on the City Council is not the only way to serve your community. Unfortunately, as MPT/Lyons said, only one can be selected to serve on the City Council. While everyone has their vision for the community and do not always agree, everyone is participating for the good of the City and its residents. He asked everyone to continue their service to the community and said he hoped to see everyone at different events. M/Tye echoed his colleagues with respect to the betterment of the community which is what this City Council wants. The information brought to the Council by those who applied to serve on the Council is very impressive. Five commissioners applied for the position and he believes there is a great opportunity for others to serve the community as well. He thanked all who participated in this process and for putting themselves out there and seeing what might come of it. C/Low said that Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke is one of five Commissioners that applied for the position and believes it is very important for someone serving on the City Council to have had prior experience working within city government and having served as a Commissioner fulfills that purpose. Secondly, Commissioner Mahlke has served on both the Traffic and Transportation Commission and currently the Planning Commission which she has done over a period of nine years. This is impressive and shows her dedication to the community. And during her time on the Planning Commission she has navigated through intense times with special patience, skills and empathy. M/Tye called for the roll call vote on his motion to appoint Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke to the vacant City Council position. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote JANUARY 27, 2020 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Low, MPT/Lyons, M/Tye NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Chou ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None CC/Santana administered the Oath of Office to Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke. C/Mahlke said she is overwhelmed and appreciates the opportunity to serve her community. Her parents told her and her siblings that they needed to give of their time and talent and that they would find out what they were good at and sprinkle it all over the place and hope it makes a difference. The opportunities Diamond Bar has given her to figure out what she is all about have been incredible. She thanked Council for their faith in her and thanked staff for their support and the education of what this role can mean. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, M/Tye adjourned the Special City Council Meeting at 5:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted: Kristina Santana, City Clerk The fo going minutes are hereby approved this 18t'' day of February, 2020. tell j Stev ye, Maybr