To: Board of Supervisors
From: Internal Operations Committee
Report Title: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMISSION
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☒ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPOINT to the Hazardous Materials Commission: Gretchen Salter to the Environmental Organization Alternate #1 seat to complete the current term that will end on December 31, 2024, and Kenneth Luther to the General Public Alternate seat to complete the current term ending December 31, 2023 and to a new four-year term that will end 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.
Environmental Organization Alternate seat #1 was vacated due to the resignation of Lisa Parks and declared vacant by the Board of Supervisors on April 18, 2023 (Item C. 31). The bylaws of the Hazardous Materials Commission provide for two representatives of environmental organizations, with all applicants to any of the 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 General Public Alternate Seat was vacated due to the resignation of Jack Bean and declared vacant by the Board of Supervisors on April 18, 2023 (Item C. 31). The bylaws of the Hazardous Materials Commission provide for one representative of the general public, appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
The Hazardous Materials Commission recruited for the open Environmental Organization Alternate Seat #1 and received two qualified applications. At its May 25, 2023 meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend Heidi Taylor for the Environmental Organization Alternate seat. At its June 12, 2023 meeting, the Internal Operation Committee directed the Commission to re-advertise for the seat, with a special emphasis on recruiting candidates from far east county. Commission staff worked with staff from Supervisor Burgis’ office to conduct targeted outreach in east county as well as the Commission’s normal outreach to the rest of the county (see attached list of outreach). The open seat was advertised for 6 weeks (flyer attached).
The Commission received 2 qualifying applications for the seat (attached). The Commission unanimously voted to recommend Gretchen Salter (Walnut Creek) for Environmental Organization Alternate Seat #1 at its September 28, 2023 meeting. Her letter of support from Clean Water Action is attached. The term for this seat ends on December 31, 2024.
The Hazardous Materials Commission recruited for the open General Public Alternate Seat and received four qualifying applications for this seat. At its May 25, 2023 meeting, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend Gretchen Salter for the General Public Alternate seat. At its June 12, 2023 meeting, the Internal Operation committee of the Board of Supervisors directed the Commission to re-advertise for the seat, with a special emphasis on recruiting candidates from far east county. Commission staff worked with staff from Supervisor Burgis’ office to conduct targeted outreach in east county as well as the Commission’s normal outreach to the rest of the county. The open seat was advertised for 6 weeks (flyer attached).
The Commission received six qualified applications for the seat (attached). One of these candidates lived in east county, but she withdrew her application before the Commission had the opportunity to interview her. The Commission voted to unanimously recommend Kenneth Luther (Danville) for the General Public Alternate Seat at its September 28, 2023 meeting. The current term for this seat ends on December 31, 2023.
The Internal Operations Committee, at its regular meeting on November 13th, considered the new nominations resulting from expanded outreach and supports the Commission’s recommendations for the appointments.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: