Vacancies - Appointment Opportunities

Vacancies - Appointment Opportunities

Current Vacancies

Notice Date Subject Deadline* Scheduled Appointment Date
01/01/2024

City of Elk Grove - Historic Preservation Committee
One (1) Alternate Member Vacancy 

* *
03/01/2024

City of Elk Grove - Planning Commission
One (1) Voting Member Vacancy encouraging applicants demonstrating an understanding of the rural Elk Grove experience 

04/03/2024 04/10/2024

*Recruitments remain open until such time as sufficient applications have been received or an appointment is made.

Guidelines for Applicants

To be considered for appointment, an applicant must complete and submit an application and meet all requirements to serve for the particular committee or commission. Beyond the submission of an application, the following guidelines are offered to applicants for consideration in approaching the appointment process. Following these guidelines is encouraged but not required. If an applicant does not satisfy one or more guideline, he or she is not automatically disqualified as an applicant. Conversely, following all of the guidelines does not guarantee appointment. It is left to the applicant's discretion as to how he or she chooses to pursue the appointment process.

Guidelines

  • Timely filing of an application for consideration;
  • Contacting the Mayor and members of the City Council prior to the appointment hearing to discuss the appointment (either email, phone, or in-person meetings conducted at any point after the announcement of the vacancy opening and prior to the appointment consideration item, including providing a copy of their application and supporting materials)
  • Attending a committee or commission meeting or contacting members of the committee or commission on which the applicant seeks to be appointed
  • Appearing and speaking at the Council meeting at which the appointment is considered
  • Endorsement by community members through materials or comments in support of the applicant at the Council meeting at which the appointment is considered; and
  • Providing thoughtful responses to questions posed by members of the City Council at the Council meeting at which the appointment is considered.

The City Council has also considered the following factors to select applicants in order to bring an overall balance in representation on a committee or commission:

  • Seeking geographic representation by district, or by school representation (for the Youth Commission);
  • Evaluating age and the opportunity to serve or re-apply (often in consideration of appointments to the Youth Commission);
  • A commitment to encourage diversity in representation.

Posting of a Vacancy

The solicitation notice that is published in the newspaper and posted online states how many open seats are up for consideration, with a brief summary of the duties of the committee or commission. A separate solicitation notice is printed/published for each committee or commission with vacancies. The online post includes the solicitation notice, a fact sheet providing information about the duties and other aspects of the committee (such as meeting times, requirements to hold office, filing obligations to hold office), and an application.

Applications

The application format is the same for most of the committees and commissions; however, the Youth Commission has an alternative application format. Each vacancy opening will have the specific application format posted with the solicitation notice and informational sheet for the committee. Applications and submitted materials are public records.

The application is primarily intended to collect contact information of the applicant. In some cases supplemental questions will be asked on the application. The application document is intended to be brief. An applicant is not restricted to keeping responses contained on the application form, and an applicant may include any number of additional attachments for inclusion with a submitted application. The City encourages applicants to include additional informational attachments, such as resumes, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and/or introductory letters, if relevant. All applications and submitted supplemental materials are compiled by staff and distributed to the City Council by the Friday prior to the appointment consideration.

The deadline established for applications to be submitted is a procedural deadline to provide time for the Office of the City Clerk to compile and distribute applications, verify that applicants meet the requirements to hold the vacant position, and to meet agenda publishing deadlines. When applications are received after the published submittal deadline but still prior to the date of the appointment consideration, those applications are verified, then circulated as staff memos, and included for consideration of the vacancy appointment.

Process of the Appointment Consideration

All appointment considerations are conducted as an agenda item at an open and public meeting of the City Council. Submitted applications are consolidated and forwarded to the full City Council by the Friday prior to the appointment consideration. A listing is provided online of the applicants in the staff report for the item. Applications are posted online with personal information redacted, under the posted comments link to the given agenda of the appointment consideration, and applications are available to the public (after being verified, compiled, and distributed to the City Council) upon request. When the item is heard on the appointment there is an opportunity for public comment which can include comments from prospective applicants, supporters of applicants, standing members of City committees and commissions, and the general public. Each speaker during public comment will generally have three minutes to speak, or less as determined by the City Council if a large number of requests are received to speak. The City Council may engage a speaker with additional questions, those questions and responses to those questions, would not reduce the total speaking time for that speaker.

After public comment is received on the appointment consideration, the period for public comment on the matter closes and the City Council then deliberates on the matter. All appointments are made by the mayor, with the approval of the City Council. The mayor announces those individuals for appointment, and with the concurrence of the City Council those appointments are then finalized. The day following the appointment consideration item the City Clerk will contact all applicants with the result of the appointment. For those individuals not selected, their applications remain on file for two years, and they will receive a courtesy notice to apply again for any vacancy openings that may arise in that two-year timeframe on the same committee or commission.

Training and Filing Requirements for Appointees

Appointees will receive training from the City regarding open meeting laws (the Brown Act). Certain appointed positions, such as the Planning Commission, will require the filing within 30 days of appointment of a Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) Statement of Economic Interests (FPPC Form 700) and will require compliance with state required trainings in public service ethics and anti-harassment.

How to Stay Informed of Vacancy Openings

Current recruitment processes for unscheduled vacancies are initiated with the presentation of a consent item authorizing the recruitment, followed by a newspaper solicitation notice published in the Elk Grove Citizen. The notice is also posted at City Hall and on the City's website, and the recruitment is advertised through the City's social media communication channels. Prior applicants, or individuals who have submitted an interest to serve, are provided a courtesy notice when a recruitment is initiated. The City website also provides an option for individuals to sign up for an email notice when vacancy opportunities are posted on the City website. The average recruitment timeframe is approximately one month from authorization to consideration of appointment.

Annually the City Clerk presents the Local Appointments List to the City Council at the one regular meeting in December. In even numbered years after the election for the seat of mayor has concluded, the City Clerk is directed to reach out to current appointees to gauge their interest in continuing to serve in their appointed capacities. If an appointee responds that they do not wish to continue to serve, the City Clerk initiates a recruitment for the open position, and the appointment consideration is scheduled for the second meeting in January.

Questions regarding the Application or Appointment Consideration Process

Contact City Clerk Jason Lindgren for any additional questions regarding the application or appointment consideration process:

Office of the City Clerk

City Clerk

Jason Lindgren

Email or (916) 478-2286