Imperial Beach Municipal Code Ch. 2.18 Appointments to Commissions, Boards and Committees

A. Pursuant to this code and Government Code Sections 40605, 54974 and 65100 through 65101, the following procedures shall be employed in filling vacancies on commissions, boards and committees in the City:

1. The City Clerk shall advise the City Council of the names of those persons whose term of office on a City commission, board or committee will be expiring 30 days prior to such expiration.

2. The City Clerk shall promptly advise the City Council of any unscheduled vacancy whether due to resignation, death, termination or other causes.

a. Whenever an unscheduled vacancy occurs in any commission, board or committee for which the City Council has the appointing power, whether due to resignation, death, termination or other causes, a special vacancy notice shall be posted in the office of the City Clerk, and in other places as directed by the City Council not earlier than 20 days before or not later than 20 days after the vacancy occurs. Final appointment to the board, commission or committee shall not be made by the City Council for at least 10 working days after the closing of the vacancy/deadline for submittal of applications which is at least 10 working days after the posting of the vacancy.

b. Notwithstanding subdivision a of this subsection, the City Council may, if it finds that an emergency exists, fill the unscheduled vacancy immediately. Such emergency appointments shall be made by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. A person appointed to fill the vacancy shall serve only on an acting basis until the final appointment is made pursuant to this section.

3. The chair of each City commission, board or committee shall notify the City Clerk of any position which should be declared vacant pursuant to the provisions of this code or state law. The City Clerk shall in turn advise the City Council of all such notification.

B. The City Council shall provide by resolution any additional procedures necessary for appointments to commissions, boards and committees.

C. Appointments to all commissions, boards and committees, except the Planning Commission and the Personnel Board, shall be made by the Mayor, with the approval of the City Council, unless otherwise specifically provided for herein.

D. Appointments to the Planning Commission, both regular and emergency, shall be made by a majority vote of the City Council. Any member of the City Council may nominate candidates for Planning Commissioner.

(Ord. 837, 1991; Ord. 2002-979 § 2; Ord. 2014-1148 § 2)

A. The City Council relies on advice of the City's boards and commissions that grows from discussions among appointed members. The City Council anticipates that members appointed to the City's boards, commissions, and committees will make every reasonable effort to attend all regular meetings, to attend special meetings, and to be prepared to discuss matters on their respective agendas.

B. Any board, committee, or commission member who is absent from three consecutive, regular meetings will be deemed to have vacated their membership on the particular board, committee, or commission, unless the absence is excused by a majority vote of the other members on the particular board, committee, or commission, as reflected in the official minutes of the board, committee, or commission and ratified by the City Council.

C. Board, committee, and commission members, by a majority vote, may excuse a fellow member's absence from meetings for any of the following reasons:

1. Illness of the member, family member of the member, or personal friend of the member;

2. Business commitment of the member that interferes with the attendance of the member at a meeting;

3. Previously scheduled vacation of the member, notice of which was provided to the respective board, committee, commission or clerk of the board at least 30 days in advance of the meeting;

4. Attendance of the member at a funeral, religious service or ceremony, wedding, or other similarly significant event;

5. Unexpected, emergency situation that prohibits the member's attendance; or

6. Other reason for which the member has given notice to the clerk of the board of unavailability at least seven days in advance of the meeting.

D. Members shall vote on excusing a member's absence from a regular or special meeting. The vote shall be reflected in the official minutes for the meeting at which the vote was taken. A member may vote to excuse their own absence. If a member's absence is excused by a vote of the members, the excused absence shall be submitted to the City Council on its consent agenda for ratification. If a majority of the City Council does not ratify the excused absence of the member, then the absence will not be considered an excused absence.

E. The clerk of the board, committee, or commission shall notify the City Clerk if a voting member misses three regular and/or special consecutive meetings without being excused by a majority vote of the board, committee, or commission as expressed in its official minutes and ratified by the City Council. The City Clerk shall agendize the matter for City Council action. Between the occurrence of vacancy and the Council declaration of vacancy, the member shall be unable to continue serving as a member and shall have no duties of the office. The vacancy shall be effective on the date the Council declares the office vacant.

(Ord. 2025-1254, 6/4/2025)

A. A member may be removed by a majority vote of the Council or by the Mayor with the approval of the Council.

B. A member may be removed by a declaration of vacancy approved by a majority vote of the Council upon submission by the City Clerk in accordance with Imperial Beach Municipal Code Section 2.18.020.E.

(Ord. 837, 1991; Ord. 2025-1254, 6/4/2025)

All members of commissions, boards and committees of the City shall be residents of the City.

(Ord. 837, 1991)