Watsonville Municipal Code Art. IX Commissions

SECTION 900 COMMISSIONS: INTENTS AND PURPOSES.

Except as otherwise provided in this Article, the appointive commissions established by or pursuant to this Charter are intended to serve as advisory bodies to the Council and the City Manager in carrying out their respective duties. Membership on such bodies shall be representative of the entire community insofar as that is possible, and members on such commissions shall be willing to serve as a civic responsibility. No member of any advisory commission shall hold any paid office or employment in the City Government. In order to be eligible for appointment to any commission, a person shall be a resident of the City. In addition to those commissions herein provided, the Council may create by ordinance such advisory boards or commissions as in its judgment are required and may grant them such powers and duties as are consistent with the provisions of this Charter. In addition, the Council by motion adopted by at least four (4) affirmative votes, or the City Manager with the consent of the Council, may appoint from time to time such temporary committees as are deemed advisable to render counsel and advice to the appointing authorities on any designated matters or subject within the jurisdiction of such authorities.

Any vacancies on any commission, from whatever cause arising, shall be filled by appointment by the Council except as otherwise provided in this Article. Upon a vacancy occurring leaving an unexpired portion of a term, any appointment to fill such vacancy shall be for the unexpired portion of such term. The provisions of Section 1770 of the Government Code of the State of California as they now exist or may hereafter be amended shall govern the existence of a vacancy except that if a member of a commission is absent from three (3) consecutive regular meetings of such commission, unless by permission of such commission expressed in its official minutes, that office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the Council. [§ 900 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 901 APPROPRIATIONS.

The Council shall include in the annual budget such appropriations of funds as in its opinion shall be sufficient for the efficient and proper functioning of such commissions. [§ 901 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 902 APPOINTMENTS.

The appointive commissions created by or pursuant to this Charter shall be composed of seven (7) members. Each member of the Council shall appoint one member to each such commission subject to approval by resolution of the Council adopted by at least four (4) affirmative votes.

The members of each commission shall be subject to removal by resolution of the Council adopted by at least four (4) affirmative votes. Except as otherwise provided by Charter or by Ordinance, the members thereof shall serve for a term of four (4) years and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. No person shall serve more than two (2) consecutive full terms on the same commission. No person who has served two (2) consecutive full terms on any commission shall be eligible for reappointment to the same commission until four years after the expiration of their second term. For purposes of this Section, a full term shall include one-half or more of any term.

Commencing December 1, 1994, members appointed to such commissions shall be classified according to the term of office of the member of the Council making such appointment so that term of four (4) members would commence on December 1, 1994, and the term of three (3) members would commence on December 1, 1996. The respective terms of office of the four (4) and three (3) members of such commissions in existence on either December 1, 1994, or December 1, 1996, as the case may be, shall terminate upon said date or until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Their successors shall be appointed for a full term. [§ 902 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 903 EXISTING COMMISSIONS.

The respective terms of office of all members of the commissions in existence at the time the amendment of Section 902 of this Charter takes effect shall terminate upon the effective date of said amendment to this Charter. [§ 903 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 904 MEETINGS: CHAIR.

As soon as practicable following their original appointment, and following the first day of January of each year thereafter, each of such commissions shall organize by electing one of its members to serve as presiding officer at the pleasure of such commission. Each commission shall hold regular meetings as provided by resolution of the Council and such special meetings as such commission may require. Except as is otherwise provided by the laws of this State, all proceedings shall be open to the public.

The affirmative or negative vote of a majority of the entire membership of such commission shall be necessary for it to take action.

Unless otherwise provided, the City Manager shall provide a secretary for the recording of the minutes of each of such commissions who shall keep a record of its proceedings and transactions. Each commission may prescribe its own procedural rules and regulations which shall be consistent with this Charter and copies of which shall be kept on file in the office of the City Clerk where they shall be available for public inspection. Each commission shall have the same power as the Council to compel the attendance of witnesses, to examine them under oath, to compel the production of evidence before it and to administer oaths and affirmations in any investigation or proceeding pending before it. [§ 904 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 905 COMPENSATION.

The members of the Planning Commission shall receive compensation as established by resolution of the Council, which may be amended from time to time. All other commission members shall serve without compensation for their services as such but shall receive reimbursement for necessary traveling and other expenses incurred on official duty when such expenditures have been authorized by the Council. [§ 905 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 906 PLANNING COMMISSION: ESTABLISHED.

There shall be a Planning Commission consisting of seven (7) members. Such officers as the Council shall designate, or their representatives, shall meet with the Planning Commission and participate in the discussions but shall not have a vote.

SECTION 907 PLANNING COMMISSION: POWERS AND DUTIES.

The Planning Commission shall have the power and duty to:

(a) Recommend to the Council after a public hearing thereon the adoption, amendment or repeal of a general plan or any part thereof, or the adoption, amendment or repeal of a specific plan for the physical development of the City, as such terms are defined by Chapter 3, Title 7, of the Government Code of the State of California, as may be amended;

(b) List and classify annually all proposed public improvements recommended by officers, departments, boards or commissions of the City and, not later than the first regular meeting of May of each year, recommend to the Council and the City Manager a coordinated program of proposed public improvements for the ensuing five (5) year period, according to a logical order of priority;

(c) Exercise such functions with respect to land use, including but not limited to planning, zoning, subdivisions, public buildings, recreation and parks, streets and housing, as may be prescribed by ordinance, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter;

(d) Recommend to the Council for adoption and implementation plans for the clearance, rehabilitation, redevelopment or renewal of sub-standard areas within the City;

(e) Recommend to the Council for adoption and implementation such plans as are designed to promote the most beneficial and orderly growth and development of the City; and

(f) Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Council not inconsistent with the provision of the Charter.

SECTION 908 PERSONNEL COMMISSION: ESTABLISHED.

There shall be a Personnel Commission consisting of seven (7) members none of whom, while a member of the Commission, or for a period of one (1) year after the term has ceased for any reason to be a member, shall be eligible for appointment to any salaried office or employment in the service of the City. [§ 908 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 909 PERSONNEL COMMISSION: POWERS AND DUTIES.

The Personnel Commission shall have the power and duty to:

(a) Act in an advisory capacity to the Council and the City Manager or other appointive power on matters relating to personnel administration;

(b) Recommend to the Council upon request, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the personnel rules and regulations referred to in Section 1002 of this Charter;

(c) Hear appeals of any officer or employee holding a regular position in the competitive service pertaining to suspension, demotion, dismissal or disciplinary action as provided for in Article X;

(d) Make any investigation which it may consider desirable concerning the conditions of employment and the administration of personnel in the municipal service and report its findings to the Council, the City Manager and any other appointive power; and

(e) Perform such other duties relating to Personnel matters as may be prescribed by the Council not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter.

SECTION 910 LIBRARY COMMISSION: ESTABLISHED: POWERS AND DUTIES.

There shall be a Library Commission consisting of seven (7) members which shall have the power and duty to:

(a) Act in an advisory capacity to the City Council and City Manager in all matters pertaining to City libraries and make and enforce such by-laws, rules and regulations as may be necessary therefore;

(b) Consider the annual budget for library purposes during the process of its preparation and make recommendations with respect thereto to the Council and the City Manager;

(c) Recommend and set policy for acquisition of books, journals, maps, publications and other supplies peculiar to the needs of the library, subject, however, to the limitations of the budget for such purposes. The expenditure and disbursement of funds for such purchases shall be made and approved as elsewhere in the Charter provided;

(d) Accept money, personal property or real estate donated to the City for library purposes, subject to the approval of the Council and City Manager;

(e) Contract with schools, county or other governmental agencies to render or receive library services or facilities, subject to the approval of the Council; and

(f) Perform such other duties relating to library matters as may be prescribed by the Council not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter. [§ 910 Amended by voter petition initiative on 11/5/24. Measure W]

SECTION 911 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION: ESTABLISHED.

There shall be a Parks and Recreation Commission consisting of seven (7) members. In the event the Council contracts with other agencies interested in parks and recreation for the joint exercise of any such functions, it shall provide for representation on the Parks and Recreation Commission from such agencies during the existence of such contract or extensions thereof.

SECTION 912 PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION: POWERS AND DUTIES.

The Parks and Recreation Commission shall have the power and duty to:

(a) Act in an advisory capacity to the Council and the City Manager in all matters pertaining to parks and recreation;

(b) Consider the provisions of the annual budget for park and recreation purposes during the process of the preparation of the budget and make recommendations with respect thereto to the City Manager and Council;

(c) Formulate and recommend to the Council and the City Manager a parks and recreation program for the inhabitants of the City which will contribute to the attainment of the general educational and recreational objectives for children and adults of the City, promote and stimulate public interest therein, and to that end, solicit to the fullest extent possible the cooperation of school authorities and other public and private agencies interested in therein;

(d) Formulate and recommend to the Council and the City Manager policies for the acquisition, development and improvement of parks and playgrounds and for the planning, care and removal of trees and shrubs in all parks, playgrounds and streets;

(e) Recommend to the Council and the City Manager as to the acceptance or rejection of offers of donations of money, personal property or real estate to be used for park and recreation purposes; and

(f) Perform such other duties relating to park and recreation matters as may be prescribed by the Council not inconsistent with the provisions of this Charter.