That the City Council:
A. Consider and appoint two individuals to the Planning Commission to fill two 4-year terms that will expire on March 31, 2028, and two individuals to serve as alternates;

B. Consider and appoint two individuals to the Community Services Commission to fill two 3-year terms that will expire on March 31, 2027, and two individuals to serve as alternates; and,

C. Consider the dissolution of the Beautification Committee and assign its responsibilities to the Community Services Commission.

At its Regular Meeting of January 16, 2024, City Council was notified of the following commission/committee vacancies:

At that time, City Council directed staff to advertise all expiring terms and schedule interviews. The Commission recruitment was posted at City Hall and the City Council Chamber, and was also advertised on the City's social media sites, the City website, on Channel 3, and in the Orange County Register. 

A total of 14 applications were received for the Planning Commission and/or Community Services Commission vacancies by or before the 6:00 p.m. deadline on February 22, 2024, with no applications received for the Beautification Committee. One applicant withdrew from the selection process due to personal reasons and two applicants were non-responsive to multiple attempts by staff to contact them to schedule an interview time. 

It should be noted that one applicant is currently employed as a part-time Crossing Guard by the City of La Habra. Staff consulted with the City Attorney's office to determine if there would be a conflict of interest should that applicant be appointed to a commission, and were advised that there would not be a conflict preventing the individual from being appointed to a City commission. Should the applicant be appointed to a commission, the City Attorney's office advised that the individual must recuse from voting on any potential commission matters that may arise pertaining to the City's need for Crossing Guards.
 
On the day of interviews, one applicant withdrew their application and one applicant failed to show up for their scheduled interview.

These remaining nine applicants were interviewed by City Council on Monday, March 4, 2024:
 

	Applicant	Commission(s) of Interest
3:30 p.m.	Richard Rojas (incumbent)	Community Services Commission
3:40 p.m.	Thomas Ludwinski	Planning Commission
3:50 p.m.	Roy Ramsland Jr.	Planning Commission
4:10 p.m.	Matthew Matias	Planning Commission or Community Services Commission
4:20 p.m.	Maria Mahecha (incumbent)	Planning Commission
4:30 p.m.	Esther Armeta	Community Services Commission
4:40 p.m.	Delwin Lampkin	Planning Commission or Community Services Commission
5:00 p.m. (via telephone)	Veronica Hannah	Community Services Commission
5:20 p.m.	Danitza Cardenaz	Planning Commission or Community Services Commission

City Council policy allows for Planning Commissioners to serve two consecutive terms of four years each or a maximum of 10 years; and the Community Services Commissioners to serve three consecutive terms of three years each or a maximum of 10 years.

City Ordinance No. 1351 adopted on February 21, 1989, limits Planning Commissioners terms to four years, expiring March 31 and staggered; and the Community Services Commissioners terms to three years, expiring March 31 and staggered. Term limits were not established by this ordinance, but rather by City Council policy, so the City Attorney's office has opined that the City Council has the option to reappoint commissioners to terms as they so choose.

Beautification Committee
At the Regular City Council Meeting of January 16, 2024, Councilmember Medrano made a motion, seconded by Mayor Nigsarian, that consideration be given for the potential dissolution of the Beautification Committee and to have its responsibilities assigned to the Community Services Commission.  At that same meeting, Councilmember Gomez directed staff to provide City Council with the attached attendance records of the Beautification Committee members. Because the Beautification Committee was formed by City Council action and is not cited in the La Habra Municipal Code, no action other than a City Council motion approving the dissolution of the committee is required. As previously indicated, no applicants were received for the currently vacant seat on the Beautification Committee.

The Planning Commissioners earn a monthly stipend of $100. The Community Services Commissioners earn a monthly stipend of $50.  Beautification Committee members do not receive a stipend.  Stipends are an expense of the General Fund.