Commissions & Committees

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If you have an interest in serving your community, applying to be a commissioner is a great place to start. The City of Walnut Creek has established five commissions to assist in recommending policy and help in the decision-making process to govern Walnut Creek.

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Commission Requirements

Commission Requirements & Selection Process (Adult)

City commissions comprise five to seven members. Commission members must be registered voters and must also live within the City of Walnut Creek, with the exception of the two architects and one landscape architect serving on the Design Review Commission, and up to two Arts Commission at-large members. These commissioners must be registered voters, but need not reside in Walnut Creek. All commissioners serve without compensation and are limited to two consecutive terms.

Selection Process

Commissioners are appointed by a majority vote of the City Council and serve staggered terms. Commission recruitment occurs biennially in January through the City Clerk’s office. The process begins with the City Council interviewing current commissioners who are up for reappointment for a second term. After reappointments are complete, the City Clerk recruits for open seats utilizing multiple types of advertising, the media and networking opportunities to present qualified candidates to the City Council for consideration.

The interview and selection of candidates is an open process. The City Council reviews the applications and votes to select the most qualified applicants to interview. The full City Council conducts interviews in February. Following the interviews, the City Council ballots and appoints the applicant(s) receiving the highest number of votes.

Attendance, Unscheduled Vacancy & Resignation

If an unscheduled vacancy occurs on a commission, the City Council either appoints from the pool of applicants on file (the eligibility list) or opens up the position to new applications where the above process is followed.

The City Council receives an attendance report for all commissioners and may remove a commissioner for excessive absences. Commission members who are unable to continue their service, for whatever reason, should submit a formal letter of resignation to the City Council. A commission member may be removed from office at any time by majority vote of the City Council.

Commission Requirements & Selection Process (Youth)

The City of Walnut Creek has multiple opportunities for youth to serve on City commissions:

Youth Leadership Commission
Youth seats on the Arts, PROS, and Transportation commissions

Youth Requirements to Serve on a Commission

Must be a Walnut Creek resident.
Must be in grades 9-12 as of September 1, 2022.
Must watch or attend a commission meeting prior to appointment. Upcoming meetings and recordings of past meetings can be found at www.walnut-creek.org/meetings.

Selection Process

Applicants for youth seats first complete a written application, from which staff will select the most qualified candidates to participate in the interview process. Applicants will then interview before a panel comprised of City staff and commissioners. Based on the feedback from the interview panel, the Youth Leadership Commission Staff Liaison appoints new commissioners to the vacant youth seats. Commissioners are appointed for a 2 year term. However, rising seniors may apply and serve a 1 year term.

The open youth seats on City Commissions are advertised utilizing multiple types of advertising, the media and networking opportunities.

Term

Youth Member Responsibilities and Expectations

Commissioners are expected to attend 75% of meetings, except for cases of emergency, in which case the youth member should alert the commission of their absence prior to the meeting.
Youth members are expected to stay for the entirety of their commission's meeting.
Youth members are expected to read through all materials and stay updated on current topics.
Youth members and commission chairs are required to meet every two months for youth perspective updates and check-ins on how everything is progressing.
Youth members are expected to update the Youth Leadership Commission after every meeting.
Youth members are expected to read and/or respond to all internal communication received from City staff and their fellow commissioners.
Youth members are required to attend all events in which their respective commissions are concerned.
Youth members will remain respectful, professional, and engaged while serving as representatives of the commission.
Youth members will be on time to all commission meetings and events.
Youth members are expected to clearly communicate.
Youth members will give opinions on topics and have a preferential vote.
Youth members will accurately represent their peers to the best of their ability.

Attendance, Unscheduled Vacancy & Resignation

If an unscheduled vacancy occurs during the term for a youth seat on a commission, City staff may appoint from the list of applicants on file.

The City Council receives an attendance report for all commissioners. The Youth Leadership Commission Staff Liaison may remove a commissioner for excessive absences or other cause. Commission members who are unable to continue their service, for whatever reason, should submit a formal letter of resignation to the Youth Leadership Commission Staff Liaison.

Council Appointed Representatives

The City Council appoints a Walnut Creek representative to serve on the following bodies: Contra Costa Library Commission; Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging; Contra Costa Mosquito, the Vector Control Board, and the County Connection Citizens Advisory Committee. Commission members must be registered voters living within the City of Walnut Creek boundaries. The appointment of these representatives is handled in conjunction with the biennial commission recruitment process. The appointed Walnut Creek representatives should provide annual updates to the City Council.