This appointment process was a central focus of the meeting, given the resignation of the former mayor on June 14th, which led to a shift in roles and the vacancy in the district seat. The proposed application and appointment process, detailed by the city attorney, include accepting applications until July 3rd, followed by candidate presentations and a Q&A session at the upcoming July 10th meeting. The commissioners will then vote to appoint the new District 4 commissioner, who will be sworn in immediately to maintain the governance continuity.

The city attorney provided an application form and a detailed process for the appointment, which the commissioners reviewed and approved. The application form, discussed and slightly tweaked from its original version, ensures applicants meet residency requirements and are aware of necessities like completing a form one financial disclosure. The application will be posted on the city website and advertised in local newspapers.

In the public comments section, a citizen raised concerns about the potential lack of applicants based on past experiences with vacancies in the city’s committees and districts. The commissioners acknowledged this concern and discussed the procedural steps that would follow if no applications were received.

Another topic of interest was the consideration of commissioner remuneration. A public commentator suggested that given the budget the commissioners oversee, they should be compensated appropriately for their nearly volunteer roles. The commissioners decided to add this topic to a future workshop agenda, acknowledging the need to address the matter.

In a move towards enhancing public engagement, a suggestion was made to allow for a period at the end of meetings to discuss topics brought up by residents during public comments. The idea is to ensure that concerns raised are not lost and can be deliberated upon by the commission. There was consensus among the commissioners to implement this change, allowing for more responsive governance and ensuring residents feel heard.