Members of the City Council last week tossed around ideas about how to fill two upcoming vacancies on the Measure H Oversight Committee.
Measure H was passed in 2007 to raised sales tax in Ceres by a half-cent to fund public safety. The measure called for a citizen oversight committee to make recommendations on where to spend the funds.
Don Cool and Paula Redfern, two members of the panel, have terms expiring on June 30. Both expressed an interest in continuing to serve.
City Manager Toby Wells said past practice is to open the process up to the public with council making the decision. Wells said the council had the option of automatically reappointing them or solicit applications from the community and consider other candidates.
Because the ordinance spells out that the city "shall" solicit applications from interested citizens, Councilmember Linda Ryno said she wanted to city to call for more names. She later agreed to go with automatic appointment and change the ordinance later.
Even though the council appoints the committee members and the measure ordinance spells out that no person may serve more than two consecutive three-year terms and the two members are only in their first term, Ryno said it's not an automatic reappointment. She said she had no problem with the two members reapplying but at first suggested advertising for applicants, interviewing them all and "choose the ones that are best for the position." She later retreated.
Vice Mayor Mike Kline suggested rewriting the ordinance to allow appointed members to serve two consecutive terms if they so choose.
Councilman Ken Lane said the council should retain the discretion to keep on members who are doing a good job. He suggested an either/or scenario of reappointing incumbents or opening up the application process.
Councilman Bret Durossette suggested reappointing the two and changing the ordinance to strike calling for applications.
The reappointments will take place at the Monday, June 26 council meeting.
The remaining members of the Measure H Oversight Committee are Leonard Shepherd, Diego Fernandez and Rafael Valencia.
