It was a new experiment, Mayor Jim Clarke-style, and Hizzoner pronounced it successful.
For the first time, applicants for dozens of vacant seats on City Hall’s numerous advisory commissions would be gathered in a single room, Council Chambers, at the same time.
Across almost four hours last evening, members of the City Council examined the verbal credentials of 54 seat-seekers, nearly two persons for every opening.
The novel concept had two goals – to provide a strong picture of the most qualified applicants and to spike community interest.
At that, Mayor Clarke estimated that possibly one-third of the applicants still have not been heard from. They did not attend the all-evening session.
Absent applicants will have a second chance to be publicly interviewed at the Council’s June 13 meeting. All commission appointments will be made that evening.
“The people in the audience and watching television at home had a chance to see the quality of Culver City people applying for these positions,” Mayor Clarke raved. “We had Ph.Ds, senior vice presidents, CFOs. This demonstrates the caliber of people applying, the capabilities and experiences of the people who reside here.”
Mayor Clarke said coming face-to-face with a mass of people “of such high quality was the most rewarding part of the evening. Sometimes you know the applicants and their abilities. That can be a disadvantage to a qualified person whom you don’t know.”
Under the new system, Mayor Clarke said, everyone starts even.
“Besides being a testimony to the quality of the applicants, it was reassuring to hear their enthusiasm, their ideas and what they want to accomplish,” Mayor Clarke said.
Here are the openings:
Landlord Tenant Mediation Board – 3.
New Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee – 9.
Financial Advisory Committee – 4.
LAX Advisory Committee – 2.
Fiesta La Ballona Committee – 4.
Disability Committee – 4.
Civil Service Commission – 1.
Homeless Committee – 3.
Planning Commission – 1.
Cultural Affairs Commission – 1.
Parks and Recreation Commission – 1.
