Let's Improve Our Appointment Process

I’ve been struggling with our new procedure for appointing commission members in our city. Council members receive a short bio of nominees before the meeting, and when it comes time to vote, there is no opportunity to ask candidates questions. Often, nominees are not even present. I believe this is a missed opportunity for them to introduce themselves to the council, the city, and the people they seek to serve.

The recent appointment of Scott Ballard to the redevelopment commission highlighted these frustrations. The meeting became heated as some council members voiced concerns about the selection process. Mr. Ballard was absent from the council meeting, reinforcing the feeling that council members were expected to approve nominees.

The same issue arose at Tuesday’s meeting when three nominees for the human rights commission were presented. Again, council members were provided only brief bios, and no opportunity was given to meet the nominees or ask them questions. Two of the nominees were not even in attendance.

I want to be clear: my concerns are not a reflection on the nominees themselves. I appreciate the individuals who volunteer their time to serve on these commissions because they care about our community. My vote against the nominees on Tuesday was not about their qualifications but rather about the process by which these appointments are made. I knew my vote would not prevent their selection, but it was important for me to show that we need to improve the process.

I commend Frank Miller for his efforts in organizing working groups to select commission nominees and for his dedication as city council president. However, I do not believe council members should be shut out of the process of meeting nominees and asking them questions. Our vote matters—it should not feel like a mere formality.

The response from The Republic was particularly interesting. I have voted against several items in the past, but this is the first time I've been asked about any particular decision. Is a ‘yes’ vote for the human rights commission the only acceptable choice? Every city department should be subject to scrutiny, and human rights should be no exception. As elected officials, we have a duty to ask questions on behalf of the residents we represent.

With recent vacancies and difficulties in maintaining the required number of members on the human rights commission, shouldn't we ask why? Are there issues that need to be addressed? Is the commission growing and changing with the needs of the community? Are we just doing things because that’s the way it’s always been done?
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These are the kinds of questions council members should be asking about all city departments. My vote was not about opposition for opposition’s sake. It was about wanting our process of selecting nominees to be better. I am confident we can work together for more transparency in this process. That's a vote we can all agree on.