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Home My WebLink About01/05/2015 Minutes - Adj. Regular MeetingMINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR JANUARY 5, 2015 I CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Tye called the Adjourned Regular City Council meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. in the Diamond Bar City Hall Windmill Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: M/Tye led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL: Council Members Herrera, Tanaka, Mayor Pro Tern Lyons, Mayor Tye Staff Present: James DeStefano, City Manager; Ryan McLean, Deputy City Manager; Anthony Santos, Management Analyst; Marsha Roa, Public Information Manager, and Tommye Cribbins, City Clerk. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None 5. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: 5.1 Discussion and Action Regarding Appointment to Fill Vacant City Council Seat — Interview Process, Length of Term, Appointment, Elections and Next Steps. MITye asked for discussion and consensus on the length of term and next steps. C/Tanaka stated that since the Council is making an appointment he would be in favor of appointing the individual to the balance of the term, not incur the additional expense of a special election and maintain the current rotation for the regular election cycle. C/Herrera concurred with C/Tanaka. MPT/Lyons said she felt it was important to give the citizens an opportunity to vote for the Council Member who will represent them and she preferred that the appointment continue only until the next logical election without additional cost. M/Tye agreed that an individual should be appointed to complete the entire term because he believed that 10 months was too short an appointment and that it was incumbent upon the sitting Council to make decisions on behalf of their constituents who elected them to make these kinds of decisions. C/Tanaka moved, C/Herrera seconded, to appoint an individual to serve for the full term. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: January 5, 2015 MA PAGE 2 CITY COUNCIL AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Herrera, Tanaka, M/Tye NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: MPT/Lyons ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None M/Tye confirmed that the scheduled interviews would last a maximum of 15 minutes with 5 or 10 minute breaks taken as needed. The following applicants were Interviewed and considered for appointment to fill the vacant City Council seat: Robert Nishimura Ron Everett Ali Jakvani David T. Liu Tulsi Savani Jimmy Lin Peter Pirritano AndrewWong Joyce C. Young Kim K. Hsieh Shawn Dhand CM/DeStefano stated that the next step in the process is Council's deliberation on the candidates and if the Council reaches a conclusion on a selection this evening, the candidate can receive the oath of office tonight or tomorrow night during the regular January 6, 2015 Council Meeting. Council has until the end of January to reach a decision on whether it wishes to appoint or call for an election. All deliberations need to be done in public. Council Members agreed to discuss the results of the interviews and commenced deliberation. C/Herrera said she was honored and flattered that eleven very highly qualified, educated and selfless individuals completed applications and interviewed to be a part of the City Council. She is somewhat taken aback by the high caliber of individuals who applied for this position and everyone who went through the interview process did an extremely good job. Many individuals have many skills, talents and much to offer the City. There are a couple of individuals who stand out more than other candidates and she is evaluating those individuals based on the City's needs. Diamond Bar has some specific needs in the very near future and she believed a couple of candidates would help fill those needs more than other candidates; and, when the time comes after other Council Members comment she would be pleased to make a nomination. C/Tanaka thanked everyone who took time and interest to fill out the application and come to tonight's interview. He learned a lot more about individuals who live in this community. He commented to the Mayor that he wondered where these individuals were during January 5, 2015 PAGE 3 CITY COUNCIL the regular election cycle and was reminded that three of the interviewees had applied for Council positions in the past. He too has his eye on standout candidates who he feels would be of great assistance in fulfilling the City's needs and would be willing to discuss those individuals upon completion of Council comments. MPT/Lyons stated she too was very impressed with the quality of the candidates as well as, the time spent putting together their applications and letters of experience. Many candidates are very qualified and she agreed with C/Herrera and C[Tanaka that there are candidates who seem to be head and shoulders above the rest and even super qualified and wondered why those candidates had not participated previously. It was a good process. M/Tye stated that the Council had a lot of reading to do and he appreciated each candidate's participation. It seems it should be an easy decision but it is not. The candidates made it a difficult decision which he believes is a good thing because the process should make it a difficult decision. C/Herrera said that considering traffic is one of the greatest issues and challenges for the City she nominated Jimmy Lin to serve as Council Member serving the remainder of the open term until November 2017. MPT/Lyons seconded the nomination. C/Tanaka asked if additional nominations were appropriate at this time. CA/DeBerry responded that there was a nomination and second and the Council should proceed to take action on that nomination. During the roll call vote, MfFye asked if an abstention from him would fail the motion. CAJDeBerry explained that there is no super majority requirement for voting on a Council Member. Appointment of a council member requires only a majority vote. If a council member abstains and two vote for the appointment that will result in the appointment being made. M/Tye voted yes and said he was hoping the vote could be taken again because he would like for it to be unanimous. January 5, 2015 PAGE 4 CITY COUNCIL Upon completion of the following Roll Call vote, Jimmy Lin was appointed to serve as City Council Member for the remainder of the open term until November 2017: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Herrera, MPT/Lyons, M/Tye NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Tanaka ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None 6. ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE: CM/DeStefano asked if Council would like Mr. Lin to take the Oath of Office tonight or during tomorrow night's Council Meeting. MPT/Lyons suggested perhaps Mr. Lin would like to have his family present. C/Tanaka said he would prefer the Oath be given during tomorrow's regular City Council Meeting. I M/Tye asked Mr. Lin what he preferred. Mr. Lin deferred to M/Tye. CM/DeStefano recommended that if it is to be done during the January 6 regular meeting the item should be moved to the beginning of the agenda so that it can be done when the agenda is approved at the beginning of the Council meeting. M/Tye said he would prefer the Oath be administered this evening and again tomorrow evening for ceremonial purposes, if so desired. CM/DeStefano asked for input from all Council Members. C/Herrera said she believed it was more logical to administering the Oath tonight. M/Tye asked CC/Cribbins to administer the Oath of Office to Mr. Lin. CC/Cribbins administered the Oath of Office to Jimmy Lin. Mr. Lin said he appreciated the City Council's trust in providing him with the opportunity to serve the community and is committed to providing the best possible service to the City. He thanked the other candidates who were equally qualified and hoped they would continue their interest in serving the City. January 5, 2015 PAGE 5 CITY COUNCIL 7. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business to conduct, M/Tye adjourned the Adjourned Regular Meeting at 6:44 p.m. to the Regular City Council Meeting of January 6, 2015 at�6:30 p.m. TOMMYt CRIBBINS, CITY CLERK The fore minutes are hereby approved this 20th day of January 2015. STEVE TYE, MAYOR