To: Board of Supervisors
From: Internal Operations Committee
Report Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR APPOINTMENTS TO THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMISSION
☐Recommendation of the County Administrator ☒ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPOINT Lisa Martell to the Environmental Organization #2 Seat, Rohan Tyagi to the Environmental Organization #2 Alternate Seat, Tim Bancroft to the General Public Seat, Jim Payne to the Labor #2 Seat, and Nick Plurkowski to the Labor #2 Alternate Seat on the Hazardous Materials Commission, all to terms that will expire on December 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
The Hazardous Materials Commission was established in 1986 to advise the Board, County Staff and the mayors, council members, and staffs of the cities within the County, on issues related to the development, approval, and administration of the County Hazardous Waste Management Plan. Specifically, the Board charged the Commission with drafting a Hazardous Materials Storage and Transportation Plan and Ordinance, coordinating the implementation of the Hazardous Materials Release Response Plan and inventory program, and to analyze and develop recommendations regarding hazards materials issues with consideration to broad public input, and report back to the Board on matters referred to the Commission.
The Commission recruited to fill five vacant seats:
• Environmental Organization #2
• Environmental Organization #2 Alternate
• General Public
• Labor #2
• Labor #2 Alternate
The new terms for all these seats will end on December 31, 2027.
Environmental Organization Seats. The terms for Environmental Organization #2 Seat and its alternate expired on December 31, 2023. The bylaws of the Hazardous Materials Commission provide for two “Environmental Organization” seats to be nominated by an environmental organization, but that no particular environmental organization will have an exclusive right to nominate an individual to any one of the two aforesaid seats or their alternates, and therefore, which environmental organizations are represented on the Hazardous Materials Commission rests with the Internal Operations Committee and ultimately the Board of Supervisors.
The Hazardous Materials Commission recruited for the open Environmental Organization #2 Seat and its alternate and received three qualifying applications. At its January 25, 2024 meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend Lisa Martell for Environmental Organization #2 Seat and Rohan Tyagi for Environmental Organization #2 Alternate Seat. The applications and letters of support for each recommended candidate and the other candidate that applied are attached.
General Public Seat. The term for the General Public Seat expired on December 31, 2023. The bylaws of the Hazardous Materials Commission provide for one representative of the general public, to be appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
The Hazardous Materials Commission recruited for the open General Public Seat and received three qualifying applications for this seat. At its January 25, 2024 meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend Tim Bancroft for the General Public Seat. The application for Mr. Bancroft and the other candidates that applied are attached.
Labor Seats. The terms for Labor #2 Seat and its alternate expired on December 31, 2023. The bylaws of the Hazardous Materials Commission provide for two labor representatives, nominated by labor organizations, screened by the Internal Operations Committee, and appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The Contra Costa Labor Council nominated Jim Payne for Labor #2 Seat and Nick Plurkowski for Labor #2 Alternate Seat. Their applications and letter of support are attached.
The Internal Operations Committee, at a special meeting on February 2, reviewed the Hazardous Materials Commission recommendations as well as all of the applications and endorsements received, and supports the Commission’s recommendations.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The seats will remain vacant, necessitating new recruitment.