City Council Vacancy Candidates Announced
Selection of the New City Council Member to Fill the Vacancy has Citizens Confused
The Resignation of former Council member Tim Rood makes way for a replacement City Council Member outside of the normal election process. Citizens reading the public posting could not tell how to participate or observe the February 7, 2022. 4pm City Council meeting focused on the Council member replacement. The agenda does not notice a virtual/teleconferenced meeting. See Agenda and Staff report linked below:
2. Staff report on reasons to hold virtual/teleconferenced meetings > 2.7.2022
SECTION 4. The City Council reconfirms and incorporates the findings made in Resolution 77-2021 regarding the need for the Council and all Commissions, Committees, or advisory bodies of the City of Piedmont to meet by teleconference.
3. Interviews of candidates
4. Consideration of Appointment of Candidate to Vacant City Council Seat. > council-special-agenda 2.7.2022
Council selection process thwarts public viewing and participation.
Per the California Brown Act (Sunshine law), Council candidate interviews and their actual applications seeking appointment to public office are required to be open and available to the public. The City is not following their own meeting procedures on COVID safety for virtual meetings. The City has also not publicly disseminated the written applications.
The City has decided to hold the interviews and selection process in the Piedmont Police Department Emergency Operation Center (EOC) on Highland Avenue rather than in the Council Chambers wherein cameras can readily record and broadcast proceedings. Only COVID compliant individuals can physically enter the Police Department to potentially observe and participate in the Council selection process.
Candidate interviews had originally been scheduled “virtually” and would have been held in the Council Chambers allowing at home viewing through Zoom of the interview sessions and the Council selection process.
For years, the EOC and Council Conference Room have been selectively used for meetings where video recordings were not produced. Some past noteworthy meetings held away from camera access have been the Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee, interviews of candidates for commission appointments, and the City Department Budget presentations.
Persons interested in participating in the interview process may enter the Police Department EOC on Highland Avenue at their own risk and observe the interviews and the selection process Monday, February 7, 2022 at 4 p.m.
City of Piedmont 2022 City Council Vacancy Applicant List:
Robert Dickinson
Connie Herrick
Deborah Leland
Jennifer Long
Hugh Louch
Thomas MacBride
Richard Raushenbush
Steve Roland
Andrea Ruiz-Esquide
Billy Rusteen
Ruchi Shrivastava Medhekar
Agenda council-special-agenda 2.7.2022
Staff report continuing virtual meetings.2.7.2022
Editors’ Note: On February 7, 2022, at the Special Council meeting held away from broadcast capability in the Police Department EOC, Jennifer Long was selected by the City Council to fill the Tim Rood vacancy. Once the City Clerk releases information about Jennifer Long, it will be published on this site.
